This Pretense
by Zo One
Summary: Unable to accept his position in life, Alfred spends his life trying to hide his genetics from a hierarchical society. He's doing so well until he is quite literally sniffed out by a police chief who makes him doubt hiding in the first place. UKUSUK; OmegaVerse; No mpreg ;u;
1. Prologue

_Important notes: _So, against my better judgment and thanks to some serious enabling from Jordan (sanguinehero), she's convinced me to give a shot to the Alpha/Beta/Omega dynamics – with the exception of mpreg. I don't know why I'm doing this – okay.

* * *

**This Pretense**

_Prologue_

Running away from home was easy. All you had to do was save up, and then just leave. Don't look back, don't second guess yourself, just completely immerse yourself into the culture and people of where you want to go. Don't regret.

But running away from _yourself,_ that was something entirely different; something that Alfred struggled to do every day. He hated what he was, what he was born to be. He hated it and tried so hard to change himself and who he was, that one day he had simply picked everything up and left without a word. No one knew where he had gone, no one could get a hold of him, and no one was sure what to do.

Alfred didn't care – couldn't bring himself to care. He was so tired of being _oppressed_; at least that's what it felt like to him. Just because he was born as an Omega, they assumed he was supposed to be weak, small, _and submissive_. Alfred refused. Instead he ate protein meals, he worked out at the gym, he held tight-lipped conversations with Alphas who didn't care if he was better at basketball than all of them – he still couldn't sign up for the team because he was an _Omega_. Nothing was more frustrating and heartbreaking than that. So he left, and refused to look back.

It was easier to blend in this new city. He had saved enough money to open a modest flower shop in a small duplex downtown and he made his home in the floor above for a modest monthly rent. No one bothered to question him, in fact many greeted him heartily and he cemented himself in the belief that no one really cared what his genes said he was, as long as he never brought it up.

Over the years he became a regular part of the community, away from the tightly knit, sectional cul-de-sac housing filled with Alphas and their selected groups. Alfred was perfectly fine by himself, out of sight and out of competition from the female Alphas. It was difficult, and it was a massive transition from what he had been so used to, but after a long day at the gym or playing sports with the Alphas and Betas he always found himself in his cluttered apartment, relaxing on his bed and silently recharging for the next day.

Everything seemed to be going incredibly well for him. He was accepted as an Alpha (although no one knew better), and even though trying to be so aggressive and competitive _all the time_ was draining emotionally, he was happy and satisfied with his life. Until the day he signed up for a soccer team at the local community center.

* * *

It was common for members of the community to participate in activities at the city's recreation center. The recreation center allowed Alpha's to let off steam, participate in healthy competition and keep fit. It also held many opportunities for Betas to be on sports teams and even pick up on the Omegas that flocked to watch the Alphas, swooning at their musky, sweaty scent in the air.

"Oh look, it's Alfred!" one of the younger Omegas exclaimed as he walked into the recreation center that day. They always gathered in the lobby, watching from the thick windows that gave a great view to the indoor track and pool. "Alfred, have you come to sign up for a sports team today?"

He recognized the young girl, her lower lip constantly catching between her teeth in nervousness as her large, expressive brown eyes always managed to slide from his face, no matter how excited she was. He always felt a lump of something – guilt, worry, _fear_? – that he was actually the same as her. "Michelle," he greeted calmly, smiling and adjusting the weight of his duffle bag on his shoulder. "I didn't know they were doing that today… ah… are there any requirements? Do I have to audition?"

They young Omega giggled at him, batting her eyelashes with a smile. He wanted to cringe at the obvious flirtation, wanted to tell her that not only was he _not _what she thought he was, but he very much batted for the other team. Francis told him the other Omegas liked him because he was unintimidating. Alfred wasn't so sure about that. "Oh no, everyone already knows you're… _more than capable_. Is all you have to do is pick what sport you want to play for this season and sign up! They assign teams based on how many Alphas and Betas sign up, you see."

"Oh. That's awesome! Hum…" It wasn't like he had much obligation to the flower shop – not since he hired Francis for extra help. He was pretty sure he could commit. "What sports are posted?"

Michelle took him by the arm, her chin to her chest as she giggled and led him to a small alcove by the lobby. "Right here. They have baseball, soccer, and football right now. I think you'd be great at all of them."

A sweet, thick odor had Alfred's nose wrinkling, and he recognized it as Michelle's Omega pheromones. Gently he pried her hands from his forearm and smiled plaintively. The smell was more invasive than it was arousing, just like most pheromones that he accidentally would get a strong whiff of. Alphas smelled unappealing enough, Omegas were much, much worse. "Thanks. I think I'll go for soccer. Try something new you know? I'm always up for a bit of competition!"

Alfred clapped his hands and rubbed them together in anticipation. Eager to prove himself in a field dominated by Alphas and Betas, Alfred hastily signed his name to the roster.

"Looking for a bit of fun, Jones?" A voice called out, interrupting his inner celebration. Alfred's hands dropped to his sides as an Alpha sidled up next to him, shoulders squared and smile sharp. He tried to keep his chest puffed out and his eyes straight ahead, uninitiated and very much _not _daunted, no matter how much his body told him he should tremble a little at the dominating presence of the other male, especially when they were _so close_.

"Just signing up for some soccer, _Arthur_," he growled as best as he could. Alfred hoped he was intimidating, or at the very least he seemed unaffected by the Alpha's presence.

The Alpha gave him a narrow glance before picking up the pen that Alfred had discarded previously. "Isn't that just bloody fantastic? As am I. Too bad you won't be much competition, _boy_."

Arthur's gaze was honed in on Alfred, intense and overbearing. Alfred did his best to match it, biting the inside of his cheek until his stomach flopped and he laughed boisterously to hide the fact that he had begun to look away instinctively. "Yeah right! We'll find out on the field! See you later loser."

And with that he pushed his way out of the recreation center, ignoring the fact that he had originally intended to lift weights and jogged back to his car, his heart pounding roughly in his chest and echoing in his ears. For some reason he just felt like he made the biggest mistake of his life.

Arthur frowned as the other blond fled the room, leaving him with the demure Omega, Michelle, toeing at the carpet nervously. "What a flippant asshole," he declared, mostly to himself. There was a musk in the air, fear-laden and somehow, defiant. Arthur rubbed at his nose and sent the small Omega a scowl. "What are doing here? I suggest you return to your little group before something happens to you."

"Right, yes." Michelle dipped her head and scuttled off to the gawking flock of mindless Omegas only looking for some tail.

He stood in the room a moment longer, wondering what exactly was making his nose twitch and hands jitter. He figured it was the blatant rejection from that Alpha, but either way, something about that man wasn't sitting well in the cradle of his stomach.

Perhaps these next few weeks would shed some light on his suspicions.

- End Prologue -

* * *

_Unimportant Notes: _I really, really don't know what I'm doing. Well, at least setting up this particular universe, I don't think. I hope I did well enough for it to make some sense. I hope. :I


	2. The Rules of the Game

**This Pretense**

_Chapter One: The Rules of the Game_

Alfred thought that maybe he should have picked a different sport. He wasn't the most familiar with the gameplay and rules of soccer, and he was having trouble learning with so many eager, assertive, and all around competitive people just _waiting _for him to figure it out already. It made him nervous and his footing would falter at critical moments from even the most basic snarls sent his way.

They were split into eight teams of eleven people. Alfred was put out that his team mostly consisted of Alphas and a few Betas, as well as himself. Personally he would have preferred to be on a team of Betas, but it never worked out like that – every team needed a main competitor; and that was the Alpha's job.

"Come _on,_ Jones!" one of his teammates shouted from across the field as he fumbled with the ball and lost it.

It was a hot day out and they were scrimmaging against each other and for some reason, today he just wasn't feeling at his best. Every sudden movement had him jumping and twitching, every hissing breath from a teammate made his skin crawl and his nerves were everywhere. Finally Alfred gave up. "You know what?" he shouted back to the mouthy Beta, Lovino – who, in Alfred's opinion, was more like a bitchy Omega, but he really should be the one to judge. "Go fuck yourself!"

The brunet gaped at him before breaking into some longwinded trail of slurs, but Alfred wasn't listening. He was hot and pissed off, so he simply wiped at his forehead with the bottom of his shirt as he stormed off the field. "Jones! Jones what the hell are you doing?"

He was being followed by an Alpha, Arthur to be exact – he could tell by the accent. "I'm done for today," he said offhandedly, swinging around the water bottle he had swooped down to pick up off the side of the grass field. The recreation center was air conditioned and the cool air made his skin prickle as he moved for the empty locker room.

"You can't just _be done_," Arthur continued, following Alfred with crossed arms and a glare. "The team is waiting for _you_! Don't just shirk responsibility, boy."

Alfred turned to round in on the Alpha, his mouth half open with an angry comment, then caught Arthur's glance and turned right back around. Arthur had viciously green eyes. "I'm not shirking," he mumbled, scratching at his arm as he went to his locker. "I don't feel well, alright? It shouldn't take a detective like you to figure that one out."

Arthur cocked his head to the side. "I'm a police chief, Jones." His eyes narrowed in suspicion. There was a long silence between them as Alfred kicked at the bench before him, his hands trembled on their own accord and he stared off towards the showers with a scowl. He really _wasn't _feeling well, and he had a very good idea as to why. Finally Arthur coughed. "Do you… smell that?"

"W-_what_?" Alfred jolted, quickly snatching up his duffle bag and trying to push past the Alpha and escape. "I don't smell anything but your nasty breath." He had a clear path to exit, but Arthur grabbed him by the wrist, pulling him back a step. "Don't fucking touch me!"

The Alpha didn't say anything, only stared at Alfred until he wretched himself out of Arthur's grip and ran to his car. Against his better judgment he inhaled deeply. The locker room smelt like salty sweat and feet, but there was something just there; new and indescribable. At first he would have said cologne or simply axe, but underneath that was a raw scent, musky and charged with pheromones. Arthur snuffed his nose and jogged back out to the soccer field to rejoin the practice.

Something was going on, and he didn't land the position of Chief by leaving things unsolved.

* * *

Alfred groaned to himself, turning over on his bed and pulling his blankets above his head before flinging them off. "Ugh, fuck me," he whined, squirming into his sheets, his toes curling and his stomach muscles contracting.

There was a tisking noise from his doorway followed by a few footsteps. "Ah, it's been three days and yet you still look to be in the throes of passion!" Alfred opened an eye to give a halfhearted glare at the flippant French Beta in his doorway. "My, if I were an Alpha of any sex drive, I'd find this to be an appeasing opportunity, I think." The man smiled wanly. "Isn't it wonderful that I find you to smell like stale Cheetos?"

"Shut up Francis!" he cried. If he didn't have a raging boner right now he would have gotten up to deck the man. "Sh-shit… it hasn't been this bad… fuck – in a long time."

Francis only shrugged, moving further into Alfred's room to set a plastic tray on the nightstand next to Alfred's bed. A slick sheen of sweat had gathered onto Alfred's brow and Francis made a pitying noise. "I brought you something to eat. There is no use in starving yourself." He would have reached out to run his fingers comfortingly through the Omega's hair, but he doubted any physical contact with an Omega in an unwanted heat would do either of them any good. "Perhaps it's so horrible now because… well I can't help but to think about where you've been running off to for two afternoons a week. Maybe that wasn't the best choice. All those Alphas; sweaty, handsome, strong…"

"Goddammit, shut the fuck up will you? Just… get me a box of tissues. Okay? _Fuck_."

"My, my, with the orders you give, one might think that we're mated my dear Alfred."

The Beta gave a lewd expression as Alfred grabbed a pillow and pushed it under his groin, curling around it, torn between fucking it and crying. "As soon as I get rid of this boner, I'm going to kill you – and then fire you! Goddammit."

"Ah! You can almost hear the fear striking the center of my heart!" He made a dramatic gesture, covering his heart with a hand. "Goodness, thankfully I know you jest! However, I'll do as you ask simply because I pity you. Think nothing of my kindness!"

Alfred pressed his face into his mattress and groaned in exasperation, prompting Francis to take his leave. He headed down the narrow staircase that led to the back of the store where they normally kept shelves and boxes filled with vases and crinkling wrapping, ties and assortments for bouquets and floral arrangements.

The bell to the front door chimed merrily and Francis made sure his blue and white picnic-plaid apron was secured around his waist before heading out to greet the customer. "Good afternoon," he called out easily, taking a moment to brush his hair from his face.

"Good afternoon, I was hoping to find – oh… Francis." The customer stopped and Francis smiled widely upon seeing Police Chief Arthur Kirkland.

He tucked his hands into the pockets of his apron, trying to surpass a smug smile. "And what brings you here, _mon ami_? I doubt you've come for any of these beautiful flowers, for you've no one to give them to, I'm sure. And I doubt further if you've decided to pay me a visit. It's been too long."

Arthur made a noncommittal noise and shrugged his shoulders. "I forgot you worked here," he said after staring at a particularly large rose bloom. "Actually I came to see if Alfred was home. That twat missed practice today."

Francis hesitated. "Ah… yes… Alfred." His hands twisted in the pocket of his apron. "He's ill – haven't you heard? I've been watching the shop now for the past three days."

"He did seem… unwell last practice," Arthur mumbled reluctantly, pulling a stemmed rose from a vase to his nose. Francis flung his hands into the air as soon as the Alpha sniffed at the plant, no doubt picked up an extra scent along with the pollen. Arthur looked dazed for a moment, the apples of his cheeks flushing before he turned to Francis with a glassy stare. "What… w-what is that _smell_?"

"It is nothing! Now, since you're not buying anything, please leave! I've business to attend to and I don't need you in here loitering like a child." With slightly frantic swashes of his hands, Francis ushered the Alpha from the building closing the door firmly and pointing down the sidewalk when Arthur simply stared blankly into the store. "Shoo."

He watched Arthur leave, stumbling into the congestion of foot traffic along the sidewalk before he finally sighed in relief. That had been a close call, and even though Arthur wasn't the type to follow his instincts and run after the source of the pheromone heavy scent, it was in his best interest to keep Alfred's secret – as a friend and an advisor.

Francis sighed wistfully and returned to his task of fetching a box of tissues. He just hoped nothing would come of this incident – and if anything _did_ happen, let it be in their favor.

- End Chapter One -

* * *

_Unimportant Notes: _Oh… gosh guys! I really didn't think that the response for this fic would be so… loud. :U I profess that the chapters won't have the usual length (seeing as I have less time now to actually write), but hopefully that will equate to more updates more often. That's my hope anyway. :)

Thanks guys so much! And this fic here is a "brain-baby" between **sanguinehero **and myself, so hopefully it fleshes out really well! :D Thanks!


	3. Following the Trail

**This Pretense**

_Chapter Two: Following the Trail_

Sometimes Arthur wondered how far he would have to go to actually be accused of abusing his power as police chief. He had put in a request for background information on one Alfred Jones, knowing it would take around forty eight hours until the information was on his desk in the morning.

And yet, something had him pacing back and forth in his own home, thoughts and questions swirling in his mind, too impatient to wait the mere two days for the information that he wasn't even sure could help him. There was a lingering memory in the back of his mind, the scent of something musky and an underlying sweetness that tickled at his nose. It was perfect, and that thought frightened him, simply because he didn't know what, or rather _who _it was.

It drove him wild, tested his self-control and made his nights alone miserable. He wished he knew what it was, that smell, it was always in the strangest of places away from the typical and even though there was always that hint, the slightest of _clues_, he refused to believe it until he knew for a _fact _that his hunch was right.

"Fucking hell," he grunted to himself, running jittery hands through his messy blond hair. Arthur glared at his clock, taking bitter note of the time. He was due to practice in just under half an hour, but he really didn't want to go. Not today, not when he was so… _bothered. _But on the other hand, the recreation center seemed to be the focus of the scent – the soft one hidden under a cloud of Axe. Arthur bit his lower lip.

He _needed_ to find the owner of that scent.

* * *

Alfred felt good. He stretched and flexed, taking the ball far down the field without flinching away from the Alphas and aggressive Betas, nor stumbling over his own two feet in a hormonal confusion. Going into heat had to be the single most uncomfortable and agonizing reoccurring event of his life; and for this most recent one to last almost six days – he had been horrified. That hadn't happened since he was a teenager going through puberty.

Even though he felt remarkably better today, everyone else seemed… off; twitchy in comparison to their usual. Their practice was held in a tight-lipped silence, emotions buzzing through the air as they worked off their emotions through pain and sweat. Alfred didn't care as long as the tension wasn't directed at _him_, and rather at the game itself, but even still, he was relieved when practice was over and everyone began to slink off the field with irate grumbles and complaints.

Alfred stayed behind for a bit, dribbling the ball and trying to balance it on his foot, dragging the process out for a while until he was confident that most other members had cleared out of the locker room. He tucked the soccer ball under his arm and went to get changed.

The last of the team members pushed past him as he made his way in, leaving him almost completely alone to change and hopefully take a quick shower. He put the ball on the bench behind him, opening up his locker and pulling out his duffle bag to grab his towel. The ball rolled off the bench and hit the tiled ground with a thump. Alfred perked up at the echoing noise, turning around only to see Arthur Kirkland, half dressed, bend down and pick the soccer ball up, twirling it lazily between his hands.

"Oh… I didn't know you were in here," Alfred said uneasily as Arthur set the ball back down, striding up to Alfred with what looked like an unshakable purpose. "Uhm, can I help you?"

Arthur didn't say anything. He stared at Alfred, his green eyes examining the blond closely, and Alfred stared at the man's forehead, unable to make eye contact with such a piercing stare, even if it wasn't challenging him at all, only curious. Finally Arthur leaned in closer, his nose a few inches away from the crook of Alfred's neck, and inhaled deeply. "Oh… bloody fuck… Jones you smell absolutely –"

"Disgusting, right? I need a shower, I know!" Alfred interrupted, his voice cracking in worry. He put his hands on Arthur's bare chest and pushed him away slowly, unwilling to admit to himself that Arthur had a very nice and firm chest. "I should go."

"Don't." Arthur reached out, but didn't touch Alfred, his hands simply hovering over the sandy blond's shoulders. "Your scent; you wear cologne so it's hard to tell, but there is something – something _amazing_. You… this is fucking nuts, I know, but you wouldn't happen to be… to be an Omega, would you?"

Alfred's mouth opened and closed in shock. He tried to collect his wits quickly, giving a high-pitched laugh before saying, "Ju-just because I'm gay doesn't… doesn't mean that – that I'm - I…"

"So you're gay?" Arthur inhaled deeply again, even though he wasn't close to Alfred. "I'll have your files on my desk some time tomorrow, I'll have you know. Reasonable suspicion, so either way, I'll know within time."

Alfred's knees buckled and he felt trapped; in the locker room, with this Alpha, in his web of lies. "Arthur. Arthur you have to promise me you won't tell anyone. I can't… Please, I don't want to be like the others."

"I couldn't, even if I wanted to. Not with you begging like that, you fool." Arthur's hovering hands fell onto Alfred's shoulders, pulling the Omega close as he turned to lean against a wall of lockers, tucking his nose into the junction of Alfred's neck and shoulder. "You smell _wonderful_," he moaned into Alfred's sweaty t-shirt.

It was so strange, being held like this. His forearms rested on the lockers behind Arthur, the wispy blond tips of Arthur's hair tickling at his nose. Alfred was afraid to breathe in through his nose, afraid that he would find Arthur's, likely, pheromone riddled scent appealing – or heaven forbid, _irresistible_.

Arthur's hands began to move, tracing over his chest and wrapping back around to crawl down his spine, his fingers dancing over the dip right before the swell of his ass began. Alfred was torn between telling Arthur to stop or to continue. The Alpha pulled his hands away and placed them back onto Alfred's shoulders. "You find me unattractive," he said blandly. "Or at the very least, my scent must be unappealing. I apologize. I'll stop wasting our time then."

"Wha?" And then Arthur wasn't touching him anymore, his warm, slender hands returning to his sides. Alfred didn't move, inadvertently caging Arthur against the lockers. "What… I mean… you can't just…" He cleared his throat. "What if… I said I liked it? Liked you?"

The Alpha cocked his head to the side, his vibrant green eyes boring into Alfred's and for the first time in years, Alfred let his gaze fall to the floor. Arthur bit his lower lip, dragging it between his teeth in thought. "I would try and court you, of course," he mumbled at last. "I would try and convince you to become part of my group, my pack. Be my first Omega – my _only_ Omega. I'm… not much for the huge baby-making pack mentality, I'll have you know. I don't like to share."

Arthur's hand moved to card through Alfred's sweaty hair. Against his better judgment, Alfred leaned forward and pushed his nose against Arthur neck, breathing in and giving a shuddering sigh. Fuck, Arthur smelled _amazing _when he was riled up on hormones. "I'm not an easy date, you know. I expect you to be at my place at eight tomorrow for dinner." He pulled back with a grin. "And you're paying."

Reluctantly Arthur broke away from Alfred, gathering up his gym clothes and pulled a wrinkled tank over his head. "I'll be there, love," Arthur said with a feral smile. "And fret not. I never back down from a challenge."

- End Chapter Two -

* * *

_Unimportant Notes: _Oops.


	4. The Art of Seduction

**This Pretense**

_Chapter Three: The Art of Seduction_

Alfred, despite his teases, didn't actually expect Arthur to accept his proposal of dinner. So when Arthur showed up at the floral shop after closing, Alfred was shocked.

Arthur was dressed sharply in slacks and a figure cutting waistcoat. Alfred wished Francis was still here, no matter how annoying his constant humming in the back of the shop was – at least the Frenchman would be able to keep Alfred's head on his shoulders in this kind of situation. He looked down at his apron and hands, covered in potting soil and green chalk. "Uhm… hi."

The Alpha didn't look impressed. He raised a thick brow and ran a hand through his combed hair – and Alfred had to admit, Arthur cleaned up _really well._ "You did say eight P.M. sharp, did you not?"

"I… well yeah, but… uh… I didn't really think you would, well, you know. Show up?" He grinned weakly, holding the door open when Arthur merely sent him a deadpan glare. "I feel kind of stupid right now. Uhm… come in and uh, I'll clean up. I hope you didn't make reservations or anything."

"I did, in fact." Arthur bit his lower lip as he stepped inside, his bright green eyes drawn to a potted rosebush with fat, red blossoms. "Although it's not for another hour; I admit I didn't think you would be timely, considering you're always late to practice."

Alfred shifted from foot to foot, staring off at nothing in particular – anywhere but at Arthur. "Uh… yeah." He felt weird, if not a bit uncomfortable. Alfred wasn't sure how to feel about Arthur when he wasn't threatening, shouting at him from across the field about his atrocious footwork or trying to start a heated debate riddled with snarls and intense eye contact. How was he supposed to act? It was easier when he was trying to go _against _something rather than _with _it. He bit the inside of his cheek before saying, awkwardly, "If you want to, uh, come up to my apartment I'll shower really fast and… we can get out of here?"

Arthur tilted his head and shrugged easily. "Alright. Lead the way, then." Alfred nodded, untying his apron and pulling it over his head to hang it on a small hook by the door to his apartment. He shook out his arms, trying to rid himself of the strange numbness that had washed over him. "Are you okay?" Arthur asked as they walked into Alfred's apartment. For once he was glad he kept it tidy (well more like Francis did when he was bored or avoiding customers – Alfred still hadn't figured out how to approach the Frenchman about it).

"Me? Oh, yeah I'm fine – great, actually!" He made a wide gesture to his couch. "Go ahead and have a seat. I'll be quick."

He waited for Arthur to sit, crossing his legs and clearing his throat, before taking off into his room and locking himself into the adjacent bathroom. Alfred took a shaky breath, stripping himself of his jeans and dirt-stained t-shirt. "You can do this," he told his reflection in the mirror above his sink, taking off his glasses and blinking owlishly as his face became blurred. "It's just Arthur – he's nothing, just another Alpha. You can handle Alphas… _most _Alphas… shit, Alfred you can do this."

His shower was quick and he ran a comb haphazardly through his hair as he pulled out an outfit from his closet, hoping that it would meet Arthur's standards for wherever they were going. He should have asked. After deciding against a tie, he unbuttoned the first two buttons of his shirt and rolled up the cuffs. In another attempt to calm himself, he shook out his limbs and rolled his shoulders before heading back out into the living room where Arthur was inspecting the photos on his mantel. "That _was_ quick," Arthur noted with a glance at his watch.

Alfred ran a hand through his hair, accidentally messing up his side-combed style with a grimace. "Ah… I told you I would be." He toed the carpet beneath his feet. "I'm ready when you are… I guess."

"You seem unsettled," Arthur said, walking up to Alfred and easily pushing his hair back into a decent style with long fingers. "May I ask why?"

"I'm not – not _unsettled_, or whatever. Uh, maybe a bit nervous, but that's because I don't know the dress code or whatever for where we're going." He frowned, trying to judge Arthur unimpressed look. "But, if you _have _to know. I dunno, you're just weird – _acting _weird. Not like an Alpha."

Arthur blinked in confusion. "Not like an Alpha?" he repeated questioningly. "How does one not be an Alpha when they were born as such?"

"Right." Alfred pursed his lips tightly, shoving his hands into the pockets of his slacks. "Are we going to go or not? I don't care either way."

Arthur's brows furrowed in confusion – the corners of his lips dipping down as he attempted to understand what exactly Alfred was truly trying to say. "We'll not go anywhere if you don't want to." Arthur pulled on the lapels of Alfred's shirt, dragging the blond closer. "You're not wearing cologne."

"Arthur…"

"Alfred I don't want to be led on. I was serious the other day, in the changing room." He pressed his nose against Alfred's collarbone. "I've lived my life thus far accepting that I will likely be a loner – without a pack to call my own. I don't mind, the lifestyle suits me, but…" His fingers curled into the fabric of Alfred's shirt. "And maybe it's not proper for an Alpha to be so open about feelings and such, but, there is something about you that I simply cannot resist. I want to find out what – I want to court you, to be a gentleman to you – I don't know." Arthur stepped away from Alfred feebly; his green eyes clouded, and held out his hand to the Omega. "Let me try?"

Alfred worried on his lower lip. "And you… really don't care if I play sports? That I'm not tiny and submissive?"

"And why should I? You might be extraordinary, but it would seem that neither of us quite fit the norm."

Arthur's smile seemed so sincere and sweet, and Alfred was afraid to hurt the man's feelings or insult him – not when he knew Alfred's secret. It must have been a combination of everything that made Alfred put his hand into Arthur's, enjoying the warmth that exuded from the man's palm. "Alright, it's a date. You'll have me home at a decent hour, won't you?" he asked with a teasing grin and a wink.

Slender fingers wove between his and they descended back into the flower shop. "I'll have you home by… let's say midnight? I'm afraid I've got to work in the morning. Also, I hope you like Italian food. I know of a darling place near my flat – I'm sure you'll enjoy it."

Alfred couldn't help but to laugh, swinging their clasped hands between them in good humor. It had been years since he had even considered someone as a romantic interest, and well, he doubted he could have done any better than Arthur right now. Despite the ridicule and boasts from Arthur on the soccer field, when taken out of the competitive setting, he was civil and caring – he even went as far as to pull out Alfred's chair for him, no matter how much he protested, finally sitting with a flustered face.

"So," Arthur said over the top of his menu, the dim lighting of the restaurant around them making the Alpha's eyes darken to a lovely hue. "When I get those files on my desk tomorrow – am I going to be surprised by anything I see on there?"

Alfred almost choked on his water. He quickly set the glass down, clearing his throat and trying to keep his eyes from watering. "Uh, I don't… I'm not sure? I mean yeah okay I got in trouble for vandalism when I was kid, but I was a rebel back then. I'm good now, I promise, officer." Alfred held his hands up in mock surrender, smiling widely when Arthur only shook his head. He spotted the waitress headed their way, and was glad that that head of conversation would end.

The night progressed steadily. Alfred laughed loudly as Arthur told his most ridiculous criminal stories over the years he'd been a cop; smiling softly and licking his lips as he managed to convince Arthur to let him feed him, twirling thin pasta around his fork and bringing it up to Arthur's mouth, unintentionally watching with rapt attention as Arthur's lips parted and his tongue darted out to catch dangling noodles. It made him squirm in his chair, crossing his legs and hoping that he wasn't as turned on as he thought he was.

And when Arthur brought him back to the flower shop, his cheeks rosy from wine and an oblivious smile on his face, Alfred couldn't help but to think that maybe this had been one of the best ideas he'd ever had – giving Arthur a chance. "Hey, can I ask you a serious question?"

Arthur turned to look at him more soberly, blinking in surprise when Alfred touched their foreheads together. Arthur's eyes were so deeply green, and now that he thought about it, they were so much easier to look into when he wasn't being a complete dick. He felt like he was _allowed _to stare into those venomous green eyes, and that alone was an uplifting feeling. "You can ask me anything, love."

"Can we make this permanent? Make it a thing?"

The Alpha's head cocked to the side, skewing Alfred's vision and making him chuckle. "I'm sorry, could you clarify?"

"This… date stuff. I like it – with you, you know? Could we just… I don't know, _date_? Regularly?" Alfred bit his lower lip, his hands instinctively searching for Arthurs, tangling their fingers together. "I'd really like that."

"Me too." Arthur breathed in deeply, closing his eyes as he smelled the air between them. "I should leave; before I beg you to let me into your bed tonight. I don't think you realize, but in the restaurant you – ah, your scent… intoxicating."

Arthur smelled absolutely wonderful; musky and manly and Alfred had to admit that Arthur had a great ass and he just wanted to squeeze it as Arthur crawled over him in a darkened room. "Wh-what if I invited you in… right now?" he whispered huskily.

"I shouldn't. I want to. I shouldn't. I could take you against this door." Then Arthur lurched at him, shoving him against the brick next to the door of the flower shop, pressing his mouth against Alfred's throat and baring his teeth, letting them drag across the vulnerable skin in a display of dominance, while Alfred's hands fisted into the shoulders of Arthur's jacket, torn between being submissive and fighting back. Instead he stood stock still, his nails beginning to bite into Arthur's skin, unwilling to give way. "God damn I love how feisty you are," he breathed out against Alfred's neck. "Shit. I should go." He pulled away from Alfred with a sharp intake of breath. "Are you available Saturday night?"

Alfred nodded, swallowing thickly as his hand found the doorknob. "Yeah. Stop by any time. I'll be here – all day; all night. Day off."

"I'll be here around seven. We can watch a film, and see how everything progresses." He leaned in quickly, catching Alfred's lower lip between his teeth and licking before pulling away and skipping off a few feet. "I'm sure it'll pan out to be a lovely time. Goodnight, love."

Alfred stood on his doorstep for some time after that, simply smiling as he touched his fingers to his plump lip. He couldn't wait to see what happened on Saturday night.

- End Chapter Three -


	5. One Night Together

**This Pretense**

_Chapter Four: One Night Together_

Throughout the entire day of Saturday, Alfred was fidgety and unfocused. He nicked himself several times while stripping roses and Francis had shooed him off into the back to ponder over bouquet arrangements. He wasn't sure why he was so anxious. Well, okay, he _knew_, but he didn't want to admit it. Didn't want to admit that he could be nervous for tonight, yet he couldn't help but to stare at the clock on the back wall in hopes that it would skip ahead to seven.

At six Francis turned over the "Open" sign to "Closed" with a sigh. "Before I take my leave of you tonight, Alfred, I wish to ask you a question." He untied his apron slowly, hanging it behind the clerk's desk with a tired purpose. "These past few days you've been very… I don't know the word exactly. You seem unwell, and I suppose I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"I'm fine," Alfred said quickly, taking off his own apron and folding it over one of his arms for lack of anything to do with his hands. "I am. Really. Don't worry about me, alright?"

Francis sniffed at the air and snuffed his nose, frowning at the overwhelming scent of pollen and Alfred's cologne. "I see. Well, if you ever need assistance, you know how to reach me." The Frenchman shrugged. "You might not think so, but I do take care of those I consider a friend – and unfortunately for you, that does in fact mean _you_."

Alfred chuckled uneasily. "I know… and thanks. I'm just – I guess I'm excited 'coz I'm hitting the town tonight. It's been a while so, yeah. That's all."

"Ah! Well, if you ever need a chaperone, I will happily escort you. Until then, I will see you Tuesday." The Beta left the flower shop with a demure wave, winking sardonically and closing the front door tightly.

Alfred let loose a breath he didn't know he was holding. Quickly he sprinted upstairs to his apartment, shedding his clothes and tossing them into an overflowing hamper before hopping into the shower. This time he would be ready when Arthur knocked on his door. He scrubbed every inch of himself, letting his mind wander to his date three nights ago. Arthur had been such a gentleman and realistic – something he was unused to. Most Alphas in his experience were demanding and territorial, unwilling to take a step back and see just how _controlling _they truly were.

And then there was Arthur, who, when they were alone, seemed to be another person all together – and yet still the same man that he struggled against in soccer. Maybe he was overthinking it, but at the same time he couldn't stop thinking about _Arthur_. He let his mind relish in its memories; the sound of the Alpha's voice, his expressive green eyes, his the husky, alluring scent. Alfred quickly turned off the shower and shook the water from his hair. Goddammit he was going to make himself late again!

"He said a movie," he told himself as he shifted through the clothes in his closet. Movies were pretty casual (or at least Alfred hoped so), and he did his best to dress accordingly, nervously changing his shirt twice before he could hear a distinctive rapping on the door downstairs. His heart soared into his throat and he rushed down the narrow staircase, attempting to button up his shirt at the same time.

The door didn't seem to open fast enough, but before he knew it, Arthur was standing in front of him and a box of chocolates and a movie were pressed towards his chest. "I thought about getting you flowers," the Englishman muttered quickly as he stepped inside, "but then I realized that you owned a shop of them and might not appreciate them quite as much as I would like."

"Oh." Alfred closed the door, staring at Arthur carefully. "No, I like flowers, I do. Otherwise I wouldn't have a shop of them. But… chocolate is great, too – thanks." He tucked the box of chocolates under his arm to get a better look at the movie case in his hand. "What's this?" he asked as he examined it further; _The Mummy._

"I hope you have a DVD player." Arthur coughed and took the movie from Alfred's hands, picking at the casing anxiously. "I thought about taking you somewhere – to the dine-in theater across town, but… I don't believe I could handle it. So… I hope this alternative is alright with you."

He reached out slowly, taking one of Arthur's hands in his and began to walk towards the back of the shop and up the narrow staircase. "Yeah, it's fine with me. It's definitely fine."

Arthur sat on his couch, his legs crossed and hands folded neatly in his lap as Alfred fiddled with his television and DVD player, finally taking a seat next to the Englishman with a sigh when the movie began to play in the darkened room. Alfred spread over the couch, his arms draping behind the back as he stretched himself out, and yet remaining a respectful distance from Arthur, who sat stock still, his eyes trained on the television screen.

The movie itself was something that Alfred had seen dozens of times, so his eyes slid every few minutes from the screen to Arthur, just watching the man in hopes that he would make some kind of move on him. He hadn't been spending these past few days in an agonizing excitement just to watch _The Mummy_ in hard silence. Alfred wondered what Arthur was thinking, if he even wanted to be here, if he was as anxious as Alfred was for this night.

Alfred caught Arthur's stare as he turned yet again to look at his guest. There was something about those eyes, green and sharp, that drove Alfred wild. Unwilling to break eye contact, Alfred bit his lower lip and ever so slowly shuffled closer to Arthur, watching for a retaliation of some sort. When he got none, he moved even closer, until their thighs were pressed together and Alfred set a hand on top of Arthur's folded ones. "Hey," he whispered over the shouting of the actors of the television.

"The film is still playing," Arthur answered in a hushed tone, his green eyes searching Alfred's blue ones for a long moment.

There was a strong feeling in the pit of his stomach, one that told him to just lie down and wait for Arthur to make a move on him, to downcast his eyes and whine for attention. Instead he went against it all and pushed his mouth against Arthur's, making the first decisive move.

Arthur responded almost immediately, sucking Alfred's tongue into his mouth and nipping at his lips as they moved together. The heavy scent of pheromones became apparent and Alfred felt hyperaware of the musky smell that came from Arthur as the Englishman pulled one of Alfred's hands to the hard bulge between his legs. "I've been trying to hide this since the movie started," Arthur growled out, hissing out a breath as Alfred began to palm at his crotch. Alfred had to commend Arthur for being able to keep in control for so long. Arthur stood quickly and pulled Alfred up with him. "You drive me insane. Everything about you; your voice, smell, and god damn that defiance of yours. How are you not taken – mated with some lucky sunovabitch?"

"Nobody wants an Omega that says 'no'," Alfred answered huskily, pushing his nose into the collar of Arthur's shirt to breathe in deeply.

"I do." Arthur began to steadily unbutton Alfred's shirt, his long fingers ghosting over the exposed skin of Alfred's chest as he went, and Alfred decided that now might be a good idea to direct Arthur to his bedroom before they ended up fucking on his living room floor.

They fell onto his bed, having shed most of their clothes and shoes on the way there, touching, kissing, and licking at whatever skin they could find, burying their noses into each other's hair and smelling the thick pheromones that made their stomach's flip and their erections twitch in anticipation. Alfred sat in Arthur's lap, the Alpha's cock pressing and sliding against the crack of his ass, wanton and ready to begin.

Alfred leaned to the side, grabbing the bottle of lube and a condom from the top of his nightstand where he had put them earlier in preparation of tonight. He uncapped the lube, listening to it click open before pausing to give Arthur a critical stare. "Are you sure you want this?" he asked even though he really didn't want to. He just wanted to get it on with, to be pounded into his mattress by the sexiest man he'd ever had the privilege of seeing naked.

Arthur took the lube from Alfred's hand gently, leaning up to catch his lips in a biting kiss. "If I wasn't, I would have never come over tonight." Before Alfred could respond, Arthur wrestled him onto the bed, accidentally squirting a generous amount of lube on Alfred's thigh in the process. "Sorry, love," he murmured as he pressed Alfred down into the blankets with a hand. The fingers of his free hand swiped at the lube, smearing it between his fingers with a smile. "I hope you're ready."

"Mmn," was the only response Alfred could think of before Arthur began pushing lube greased fingers into his entrance. It had been a long time since he was touched so intimately by another, even longer since it had been a man. A long, shuddering breath of pleasure forced its way from Alfred's lungs, his toes beginning to curl into the woven fabric of his blankets. His head tilted to the side and his legs slowly inched themselves further and further apart as Arthur's fingers curled and wiggled inside of him, carefully stretching and preparing him. He didn't care anymore that he was in a weak position, didn't bother to fight as Arthur crawled above him after rolling a condom onto his cock. The only thing he could think about was how heavenly Arthur smelled, how hard his body felt against his own, how great his cock was as it pushed steadily inside of him.

Alfred's head tilted back with a gasp, unconsciously exposing his neck for Arthur to nip and suck at as he began to rock back and forth, crooning nonsensical words into Alfred's skin. His head felt heavy and his senses were out of control. He scratched at Arthur's back and bit his shoulder as the Alpha's rhythm began to pick up, going from rocking grinds to quick, accented thrust that had Alfred hiccupping between gasps.

Greased fingers wrapped around Alfred's cock, pulling along the length and squeezing at the base. "I'm – I'll come soon," Arthur professed; his breath was hot against Alfred's skin.

Alfred whined in the back of his throat, one of his hands palming at Arthur's ass before he came with a jerk, his knees pushing together and jabbing into Arthur's sides. Arthur grunted and with one last, forceful thrust he came as well, biting down on Alfred's collarbone to keep from crying out. His limbs went numb and he collapsed onto the bed next to Alfred, peeling off the used condom and tied it off looking around for a waste basket before tossing it.

"That was fantastic," Arthur said softly into the darkness, listening to Alfred shift around until he was underneath the blankets.

"Mhm. Can't say I'm disappointed at all." He grinned wickedly and laid his chest on top of Arthur's, wrapping his arms around his chest and pillowing his head into the Englishman's shoulder in a display that spoke volumes. It was a dominating gesture, but intimate. Arthur was _his_. He waited for Arthur to fight him, to protest or push him off, but after a few moments he only felt fingers walk casually up and down his spine and he sighed happily. "Now if you thought that was great, just wait until I'm in heat," he mumbled out tiredly.

The fingers on his back stilled for a moment. "I've never knotted before," Arthur admitted quietly. And in that one sentence Alfred understood that Arthur _truly _had never had a mate before him, had never thought of it until Alfred had come into his life so suddenly, and that he was honestly willing to try. "I hear it's an intoxicating experience."

Alfred lifted his head up to look Arthur in the face. "I bet. It usually ends in babies, but we're that special case." He ran a hand through Arthur's sweaty hair. "Although I really wouldn't mind a few more dates before then. And soccer practice doesn't count."

Arthur chuckled and made himself more comfortable under Alfred's weight, continuing to run his fingers up and down his Omega's back. _His_. He rather liked that notion. And with a sated smile, Arthur simply said, "I would happily oblige you, love."

- End Chapter Four -

* * *

_Unimportant Notes_: Hi guys! :U Thanks so much for reading this! (No it's not over; I don't want it to sound like that, oops!) I just wanted to say that I've started working on a new chaptered fic that will be more along the lines of what He's a Keeper was (aka the longer chapters and plot depth) and I'm hoping to get the first chapter up some time this month, as well as the fic for the LJ Anthology. So I guess I wanted to let you guys know to keep a look out for that sometime in the future! Thank you! :D


	6. In Truth

**This Pretense**

_Chapter Five: In Truth_

Alfred had to admit that becoming attached to Arthur was a lot easier than he thought it would be. The Alpha was such a gentleman, and even though they still challenged and yelled at each other on the soccer field, Alfred knew it was the competitive air and it was also Arthur's sign to show that he had every intention of keeping Alfred's secret for him. To Alfred, there could possibly be no greater show respect than that, and when they were alone he made sure to make his gratitude known.

Alfred's first heat had passed without much fanfare, with the exception of a few risqué phone calls, Arthur had stayed clear. He told Alfred this was because he wanted to make sure that _Alfred _was ready for a true mate but in all truth, Arthur wanted to make _he _was ready for it.

His fingers grazed over the fat manila folder on his desk. It had been about a month since it had been placed there, slowing becoming buried in more important business, but now… now he was curious. He wanted to know everything about Alfred; the good, the bad, the whys and the hows – _everything_. There was the moral dilemma that came with this information – Alfred knew he had it, knew that he hadn't done anything with it, but would he be defiling the Omega's trust by reading it? Would it be healthier for their relationship for him to try and coax any information about Alfred from Alfred himself?

Arthur didn't know, but for the first time in a month he had the courage to open the folder. And he had definitely been surprised at what he found.

If Arthur didn't know any better, he wouldn't hesitate to call Alfred a trouble child, or worse. There were many cases of runaway child, court issued community service, a handful of misdemeanors usually for the slight offenses that many children make when not kept under control of their parents or keepers. The only alarming thing that had his attention was the _recently _resolved missing persons file. It had claimed non-circumstantial, but Arthur worried. Who simply picked up and left so abruptly – leaving behind much of their furniture – that their own mother would call the police in a panic for a twenty three year old man?

Arthur's lips pursed as he closed the file, sending it away with a disgruntled word to his secretary. Of course there was a rational explanation to it all – there had to be. Arthur just wasn't sure if he wanted to hear it.

* * *

Alfred met Arthur that night with his usual exuberance, kissing the police chief soundly and adding a few extra gropes for good measure. "How are you? How's work been? You haven't been hurt or anything have you? I heard about that protest on Joslin Street."

"You worry too much, love," Arthur murmured as he opened his door fully to let Alfred into his modest house. "I didn't arrive on the scene until the violence was over. It was all very short lived." Arthur brought Alfred to his table, pulling a mug and a teacup from one of his kitchen cabinets. "But I did have a reason for inviting you over here tonight," he mumbled somberly.

Alfred must have sensed his mood and quickly calmed down, going lax in his chair as he fiddled with the mug placed before him. "Oh…?" His finger traced along the porcelain lip. "Can I ask why?"

Stillness fell over them as Arthur contemplated how exactly he wanted to go about this. He didn't want Alfred to feel like he was being interrogated. "I read your files the other day," he said finally, opening the refrigerator and pulling out a plate of cookies. Alfred shot him an incredulous look, but refrained from saying anything. "I suppose… I just wanted to talk to you about something I saw within them."

"Really? I don't know what you'd be worried over," Alfred said, tapping his finger on the table top in thought. "I was a typical kid who didn't like his place in life. Can you really blame me for that?"

"No, no I cannot." Arthur hummed as he filled his kettle and set it on the stovetop. "I have a question about something far more recent – the missing person report, actually. I understand it was moot, but… I just want to know _why_."

The Omega pursed his lips. "Oh." His hands clamped around his cup, twisting and writhing uncomfortably.

"If you don't want to talk about it –"

"Well there's no point in you bringing it up, then, if that's the case!" Alfred interrupted vehemently, quickly sighing and rolling his shoulders to calm himself. "Sorry. It's just… not something I really thought I'd have to talk about."

Arthur made a sympathetic noise, sitting down next to Alfred at the table and letting his hand fall beneath the table to squeeze reassuringly at Alfred's knee. "Then I apologize for bringing it up. I was wondering about you – all sorts of things, I confess. I honestly _do _want you as my future bond-mate, Alfred, and so… I'm sorry if I ask you too many questions. I simply want to _know _you – everything! I can't help myself."

With a chuckle Alfred caught Arthur's hand in his own, bringing it up to his lips to kiss Arthur's knuckles impishly. "Stop it, you're making me swoon like a teenager," Alfred said with heavy sarcasm, a merry look in his blue eyes. He mellowed quickly and moved his chair closer to Arthur so their shoulders would touch. "If you want the truth, it's just that, well… I ran away. I didn't tell anyone – _couldn't _tell anyone. They all know I'm an Omega. They would have stopped me, told me to stop being so irrational and just sit down and make babies and get fat like all the Omegas back home do. I couldn't do it anymore. I just couldn't. Not only am I flamboyantly _gay_, as you might have noticed, but I didn't want to be… oppressed any more. I wanted a new start, and…" Alfred took a deep breath, as if preparing himself for the worst, "And I had to get away from someone. An Alpha – a controlling one."

"Alfred…"

"She wasn't a horrible person – I just want to put that out there, but I couldn't deal with it. She wanted me to be part of her group, her pack, _so _bad. I think it was for a lack of male Omegas, and the fact that my mom had promised her back when we were in high school that she could have me. She would show up at my house when I was in heat, would try and coax me into mating with her, would constantly remind me how beneficial it would be if I were part of her group – how I would be protected, even if I was such a problematic Omega." Alfred shuddered. "She had a nice pair of knockers though."

Arthur stood up, flicking Alfred in the back of the head. "Well then! I'm so glad you can be easily fascinated by a pair of breasts."

His Omega laughed, deeply and breathily. "Is that jealousy I smell in the air?" he joked, waggling his eyebrows. "Don't worry, I find your ass _much_ more fascinating than any boobs I've ever seen. And hey! I've seen you looking at that Kat girl at the rec center."

The kettle whistled suddenly with heat and Arthur scrambled to silence it and defend himself. "Well how can anyone not? It looks like she stuffs her bra with _watermelons_!" Arthur coughed, futilely hiding an embarrassed flush behind his hand. "Although watching you in track shorts is much more preferable," he grumbled.

"Hey Arthur?" Alfred asked suddenly, standing up to take Arthur's hands into his own as he started nervously at the floor. Arthur's heart began to flutter in his chest at the submissive gesture, despite the fact that Alfred was a scant inch or so taller than he. He'd learned quickly to cherish every moment that Alfred felt comfortable enough with him to show his weaknesses. He didn't yearn for them, but they were warm moments of his day that made him want Alfred by his side all the more. "I should be going into heat any time this coming week and I just…" Alfred pressed himself close to Arthur whispering, "I want you to be there. Will you bond with me? Will you fuck me senseless and knot inside me? And you can be mine and I'll be yours?"

Arthur shivered, treading his fingers into Alfred's sandy blond hair, leaning into Alfred's shoulder and smelling his musky scent. "I would be honored to have you as my mate, my stubborn love."


	7. The Desperate Calls

**This Pretense**

_Chapter Six: The Desperate Calls_

Alfred's heat almost seemed to swoop down on him towards the end of the month. He had anticipated it for so long, nearly wishing it upon himself and for Arthur to crawl though his window and fuck him until he couldn't even pronounce his own name. He cradled those heated thoughts with him late at night, curled into his blankets and wishing for his soon to be bonded mate.

He squirmed in his sheets, the clock next to his bed proclaiming the time to be only one in the afternoon, and yet Alfred felt as if he had been tossing and turning in his tangled sheets for days, not only a few silent hours. Alfred bit his lower lip. Why couldn't it be seven, when Arthur had promised to come for him, to bond with him and knot inside of him after the most sensual sex Alfred knew he would ever have. It was always better when he was in heat, and just trying to imagine what it was going to be like – it drove him insane.

"Fucking… shit," he groaned to himself as his hand began snaking down the plane of his stomach, his fingertips fumbling along the elastic waist of his pajama bottoms. He wanted Arthur, wanted him _now_, and he contemplated calling him. His phone was only an arm's length away.

There was a chime of a bell downstairs and a muffled conversation afterwards. But there was Francis. Alfred made an agonized noise in the back of his throat. Francis didn't know about Arthur, _couldn't _know about Arthur. After everything, Alfred doubted Francis would be receptive to anyone claiming Alfred to be their mate. Oh but God, if Francis only _knew _how much Alfred wanted Arthur right now.

A soft knock fell onto his door before creaking open slowly. "How are you feeling, mon ami?" Francis asked, stepping into the pheromone ridden room with a bland look on his face. Alfred breathed a hot sigh into his pillow, pulling his muddled blankets around him as if to shield himself from Francis' impassive stare. "You're quite red, Alfred." He took another step into the room, reaching for the empty cup on the Omega's desk. "Are you sure it's simply your heat? You didn't happen to catch a swooning fever as well?"

Alfred shook his head, his toes digging into the mattress. He wasn't sick, not that he knew of. He just wanted Arthur, wanted him so bad that it _hurt_. It was the worst feeling he'd ever experienced. Worse than the time he'd contracted the stomach flu and cried for his mom all night, even though she was half the country away on a business trip. He sat up as Francis left the room briefly to refill his cup with cold water.

"I want Arthur," he whined to the Beta upon his return, setting the cup gently on the nightstand next to Alfred's bed. "Francis I want you to get me Arthur." Alfred panted, grabbing his pillow and hugging it to his stomach. "Please… just please…"

Francis only gave him a flabbergasted look and Alfred moaned in despair, falling onto his side and rocking into his pillow. Francis had no idea how much he needed Arthur _right now_, how much he needed to smell him and touch him and claim him and be claimed by him. The room seemed to still as Francis leaned over him carefully. "Who is this Arthur character you speak of, hm?"

Again Alfred whined in the back of his throat. "My mate," he responded, unthinking, his thoughts muddled with heat and want and desperation, "My mate, Arthur Kirkland, my mate, my mate." He continued his rant with a breathless tone, biting his lower lip and dragging it between his teeth as his hand began to palm at his groin.

"I see," was Francis' distracted reply. He moved back, snuffing his nose with a hand. "I'll return in a while. I have something to take care of, nothing to worry your fevered little head over." But Alfred wasn't paying attention any more, simply trying to grab absently at the box of tissues on the floor.

The Frenchman shut the door tightly behind himself, pushing a lock of wavy blonde hair behind his ear with a frown. Carefully he made his way down the narrow staircase, cleaning his hands on his apron before pulling it off and hanging it up. It was a slow day, and he was sure that the overwhelming scent of Alfred's heat upstairs kept a lot of others away, either from an Alpha's diversion of temptation or the repulsion of other Omegas. He turned the sign over from 'Open' to 'Closed', gathered up his keys, and stepped out.

He let his feet carry him down the streets, his mind trying to clear itself in the clear fall wind. "Arthur Kirkland," he said softly to himself as he walked. That was a name he hadn't expected to hear from Alfred's mouth, and definitely not in that fashion. Something was wrong. There had to be. Francis knew for a fact that Arthur wouldn't take _anyone _as his mate – not in such a permanent manner as Alfred seemed to be implying. Arthur Kirkland was very much a lone wolf, unwilling to form a pack of his own or even participate in someone else's. So for Alfred to refer to Arthur as his mate… Francis frowned.

It wasn't long until he found himself on the arched steps of the city's police station. He watched a few people bustle in and out, staring at him as they hurried by. "I suppose," he grumbled before taking the steps one at a time, stuffing his hands into his pockets. It had been years since he visited this place, and he wondered if it had changed all that much.

No one seemed surprised to see him as he made his way through the cluttered departments. Many faces were new, some old and familiar, but Francis brushed past them all, going to the one place he never thought he'd find himself in again; the office of Arthur Kirkland.

Arthur was bent over an opened manila folder, mouthing something to himself, as if he were straining every fiber of his being to stay on task. Francis closed the thick wooden door, letting the click of the door snap Arthur from his focus. He stopped, his finger pressing into the paper to hold his place. "Francis… what are you doing here?" he asked, his voice hush and expression stunned.

"Oh no reason," Francis said with a flippant wave of his hand. He moved closer, leaning onto the oaken desk that Arthur, for as long as Francis had known him, lived out of. Blue eyes watched Arthur carefully, noticed the wrinkle in the Briton's nose and the slow glaze of his vision. "Smell something?" His smile quirked to the side cheekily. "Oh, no need to lie, old friend. I smell very much like Alfred. In heat. Do I not?"

In the few years that Francis hadn't seen Arthur, it had slipped his mind how agile and dominate the man could be. It barely took him long enough to think of the consequences of his words before Arthur had pushed him back up against the wooden door with a thud, baring his teeth dangerously against Francis' neck as he spoke, "What did you do to Alfred?"

Francis smiled nervously, his hands climbing into the air in surrender. "Why?" he asked despite his nervousness. He had to be sure Alfred would be okay, wasn't making a mistake or under any kind of threat. It was a promise he had made himself, one that he didn't have any intention of breaking, even if Alfred hated him for it.

Arthur's breath was hot and dangerous against the curve of his throat. "He's my mate," Arthur said lowly, his face slowly pulling away, yet his hands fisted tightly into the Beta's collar. "And furthermore, _Francis_, I think… that you've ruined enough of my happily ever afters in my life, so why take this from me too?"

"Ah, mon ami, it was never my intention…" Francis trailed off with a sigh, attempting to brush away Arthur's hands from his clothes, but to no avail. "I wanted to make sure Alfred would be okay," he admitted gently, his blue eyes down casting to the carpeted floor. "I did… a lot of things to you I never should have, but we all make our mistakes… you know this, I know this, Alfred knows this. I owe him more than I can say, and even though it may not be my right, I wish to protect him." Francis sighed again. "But I see now that it's unneeded. How surprising…"

A terse silence fell over them before Francis broke it, finally managing to push Arthur away. "I have a message for you, or no… not a message." He smiled mischievously. "It is a summons from your Omega. He demands your presence, you know, addled with heat. I've never seen him so flushed and wanton… but oh, I do believe I left the front door unlocked. Anyone could just wander inside and…"

"Goddamnit you good-for-nothing bastard!" Arthur shouted, pushing Francis away from the door and wrenching it open. "If anything happens to him -!" His green eyes narrowed venomously. "You'll wish you were dead by the time I get done with you." And with that final threat he tore out of the room, leaving Francis behind, smiling amusedly to himself.

A sour faced brunet man poked his head into the open doorway, one eye narrowed at Francis in suspicion. "What's the Chief's problem?" he asked in a clipped tone.

"Oh, he's in a rush to make sure his mate is faring well."

The employee balked. "Chief has a _mate_?"

Francis only shrugged. "I suppose he does now," he murmured wistfully. "I hope he treats him well…"

* * *

Arthur was sure he'd never run so fast in his life. He felt driven and scared and anxious all at once as he raced down the streets towards the familiar little flower shop that he had begun to adore over the months. His heartbeat was pounding loudly in his ears as his hand finally grasped the bronze knob of the flower shop's door, twisting it open and locking it behind him. Alfred's scent was strong and overpowering – no wonder it had clung to Francis so easily.

He stumbled through the shop and to the narrow staircase in the back, his head was fuzzy and the back of his neck felt sweaty. Alfred was in his bed, half naked with his blue sheets tangled around his legs, sobbing something to himself as he gingerly touched his cloth covered erection.

It only took a moment for Alfred's tear glistened eyes to snap to Arthur's face with a shuddering breath. "Ar-Arthur," he groaned out, his hands stretching out and grabbing at the air like a child. "_Oh_, you smell so good."

Arthur was already unbuttoning his vest pulling it over his shoulders and prying off his shoes as he moved for Alfred's bed, falling into the strewn bedding and Alfred's open arms. "You smell fabulous as well, love," he muttered just before his lips brushed against the underside of his Omega's jaw. "God do you smell wonderful."

His hands seemed to have minds of their own, tracing across Alfred's body as if it were the first time he'd ever had the chance to feel him. Arthur pressed his nose into the crook of Alfred's neck, inhaling the musky pheromone heavy scent and rutting into the jut of the Omega's hip unconsciously. He couldn't think straight, didn't want to, not with that scent in his nose and Alfred's warm hands working their way into his clothes and peeling them off.

"It's not seven yet," Alfred breathed out against Arthur's naked shoulder, his nails biting into the Alpha's skin as Arthur slowly worked off his pre-cum moistened pajama pants. "What about your wo-work?"

"Shh, don't fret, love," he whispered, placing a wet kiss to the lobe of Alfred's ear, taking it into his mouth and nibbling on it gently. Alfred writhed beneath him, his skin sweaty and hot and so very receptive to all of his touches and ministrations. "God I want you so bad."

"Take me."

Arthur's erection was still hidden behind his boxers, his pants caught around one of his ankles. Alfred's fingers seemed to burn across his skin as they dipped into the waistband of his boxers, carefully pulling them down, yanking one side after another until they were stuck with the pants around Arthur's ankle. "Lube," he said feverishly, reaching over to the nightstand drawer where Alfred always kept his tubes of lubrication.

Even though he had dreamed of mating before, heard the stories and watched the overly dramatized soaps about it, he had never expected Alfred to be so _needy_. Every breath seemed to shudder in Alfred's chest as his fingers began circling Alfred's entrance before pushing them in.

"O-oh, oh, Arthur – ple_ase_!" Alfred's legs were spreading further and further apart, feet curling into the messed blankets. "Put it in, put it in, now, now, _now_."

Arthur barely had two active brain cells to rub together to quickly slather extra lube on his cock before guiding himself in with a hand. Alfred whined and gasped, his hands gripping Arthur's ass and trying to pull the Englishman closer and deeper. "Fucking hell," Arthur grunted out, thrusting into his lover just as was demanded of him, gasping into the sweaty expanse of Alfred's chest.

Over and over he found his nose pressed against Alfred's skin or in his hair, unable to get enough. His cock had never felt so hard or sensitive as he picked up a quick, unforgiving pace, his hips snapping forward and slapping against Alfred.

Alfred's hands wove into Arthur's hair. "I love you," he groaned out, his breath hitching with each powerful thrust Arthur gave. "Don't leave me."

"Never," Arthur answered, licking a warm trail along Alfred's throat. "You're mine, mine, _mine_."

Alfred made a desperate noise, his nails scratching long lines down the expanse of Arthur's back before he came with a jolt and a mangled cry. Arthur tried to last longer, tried to keep up with the overwhelming sensations that Alfred was inflicting upon him. "Fuck, Al-Alfred!"

Knotting was unlike anything he had ever experienced in his life. He crumpled onto Alfred as post orgasmic spasms wracked his body, his cock slowly swelling even further as a small trickle of semen continued to trickle into his mate. Alfred gave a breathy laugh, his hands slowly carding through Arthur's sweaty hair as he continued to tremble for minutes afterwards.

"Are you alright?" Alfred asked in a soothing, sated voice as his fingers began a slow, gentle trek down the sides of Arthur's face.

"Mhm." His abs continued to twitch, but Arthur nestled up against Alfred, exhausted and content. Alfred was his now and forever. His only Omega, the only member of his group – just his and his alone. He sighed and placed a kiss on Alfred's chest, his brows wrinkling in confusion for a brief moment. "Alfred… ah, love… is that what I think it is poking me in the stomach."

Alfred flushed in embarrassment. "Sorry," he grumbled. "Male Omegas… ah, uh, to make up for not being able to knot, we uh – have to go a few extra rounds to make sure conception happens?"

He winced at Arthur's long sigh. "Hold on a tick." Carefully Arthur sat up, pulling one of Alfred's legs up and pushing it to the side to join the other so Arthur could comfortably slip behind Alfred, his cock remaining buried and swollen within his lover. He peppered a few kisses to the back of Alfred's neck. "S'nothing a good reach around can't handle," he murmured with a slowly spreading smile as Alfred tensed up in anticipation.

Arthur had a feeling he was going to enjoy having Alfred as his bonded mate, no matter how strange it all might be.

- End Chapter Six -

* * *

_Unimportant Notes: _:Ua


	8. Come Around Again

**This Pretense**

_Chapter Seven: Come Around Again_

Initially Alfred had been embarrassed by his actions during that heat with Arthur. He had never wanted to show such a submissive and weak side of himself, and when he replayed the night in his head, he was torn between mortification towards himself and affection for Arthur.

"I'm really fucked up," Alfred had said to Arthur one night as they cuddled on his couch, Alfred's head in Arthur's lap as the Alpha let his fingers card through his mate's hair.

Arthur's hand paused in its ministrations, his green eyes falling from the television screen to look at Alfred's face. "Where did that come from?"

Alfred did his best to shrug. He tried to think of a way to justify himself, and became dissatisfied when Arthur didn't resume petting him. "I don't get why," he started, rolling onto his back so he could stare up into Arthur's face, "it's so hard for me to be an Omega." He pulled a face and sighed. "I mean… I'm not _upset _that I am, but when… when I think about when we, well, bonded and I was just so – _eugh_! It's embarrassing and I know it shouldn't be, but it _is_."

Arthur didn't say anything. His green eyes remained concentrated on Alfred's face and he worried on his lower lip for a few seconds before asking, "Does it bother you that much?" His fingers buried back into Alfred's hair, but they didn't move. "Do you hate submitting to me? Or am I simply embarrassing to you?"

"What! No! That's not what I said at all!" Alfred sat up quickly, cupping Arthur's face to peer into his eyes closely, trying to ignore the uncomfortable squirm in his stomach. "I think you're fucking amazing. You know that. I just… Sometimes I wish I could be a better Omega for you, that's all."

Something in Arthur's gaze intensified and Alfred found himself unprepared for it, immediately dropping his chin to stare at his lap instead. Arthur sighed and pulled Alfred to his chest, beginning to pet him once again. "I don't want that. What makes you think you're not perfect for me just the way you are?"

Alfred sighed deeply, pressing his nose into the folds of Arthur's shirt to smell Arthur's scent. It had become so comforting lately. He couldn't get enough of the feeling. "I don't know. Sometimes it's hard to see the other Omegas, like Michelle; small, sweet, and obedient. She asked me who I was mated to the other day before practice – she could smell it on me." Alfred drooped in Arthur's arms. "I was too scared to tell her."

"I see…" Arthur pushed Alfred away from his chest for a moment, his fingers tracing along the short blonde stubble along Alfred's jawline. "I know. It's alright, although I hope that someday you'll tell everyone. You're a wonderful asset to our soccer team, you know. I'm sure no one will care that you're an Omega." He paused. "And if they do, I'll make sure that they don't."

"Mmm tough cop routine, huh?" Alfred chuckled softly. "Oh, fuck Arthur. I love you so much. I'm sorry I can't tell everyone… I'm sorry."

"I know, I know." Arthur smiled down at him, gentle and sweet, just like he always tended to be when they were alone behind closed doors. "And I love you too." He leaned down and gave Alfred a honeyed kiss. "Maybe someday…"

They didn't say anything after that, merely returned to the movie, their caresses and whispers more and more tender and loving as the evening passed. Alfred kept his hand firmly woven into Arthur's simply thinking. Maybe someday he _could _tell everyone he was Arthur's Omega, let his mate grab and touch him in public, watch Arthur push around the members on their soccer team in his honor. Maybe someday.

* * *

Arthur had been treating Alfred to coffee on his lunch break when she showed up. Alfred nearly threw his coffee across the table when she had pulled up a chair to their small, sidewalk table. His blood chilled in his veins and he grabbed Arthur's knee under the table.

"How convenient to find you here, Alfred. I thought it would be much more difficult than this."

Alfred swallowed thickly, unconsciously scooting his chair closer to Arthur. "So-Sophie. How did you find me here?"

The woman smiled at them both genially. Her posture was ridged and perfect as her legs crossed and her hands folded neatly in her lap. She was beautiful, her plump lips curved in a fake smile and her brunette hair braided perfectly over her shoulder, and Alfred didn't miss the way Arthur sat straighter or how his acidic green eyes narrowed.

"Why, I've come to bring you home." Sophie uncrossed her legs and leaned forward. "I spent months looking for you, Alfred. Your mom misses you, and it's my job to look after you."

Alfred shook his head, pressing his fingers to his eyes and rubbing them, as if he didn't believe what was right before his eyes. "No, no this isn't happening. Jesus fucking Christ this is _not _actually happening to me right now."

Arthur caught Alfred's elbow. "What's going on, Alfred? Who is this?" Arthur was still in his uniform and he struck an imposing figure. When Alfred didn't answer Arthur bristled further. "Who are you and why are you harassing my mate?"

"Oh? Well isn't that funny. Alfred is _my _mate. _I _am his Alpha, so perhaps you should step away from him." With those words, the tension between the two of them was suddenly fierce and Alfred wanted so desperately to run away, but he held his ground. His heart was beating erratically, his palms sweating and his stomach churning, but he couldn't leave Arthur - not like this. So he fought the fear in his stomach.

"No! No you're _not_!" Alfred whined out, and at this point he could tell that they were garnering the attention of onlookers. "I don't care what lies my mom fed you, or the shit she promised you or _anything_. You. Are. Not. My. Mate! You never were!" He snarled at the woman in blatant defiance.

Almost immediately she brought her hand up as if to strike him and Alfred recoiled. "Don't you dare," she said lowly, "disrespect me. I am an Alpha, you are not. You still need to learn your place – how typical of you."

Arthur stood up sharply, planting his palms on the tabletop as he loomed dangerously over the woman. "That is _my _mate," he growled fiercely, and even Alfred could see Sophie's calculated mask crack under Arthur's overwhelming pressure. "I suggest you never, _ever _touch him, unless you want to make a visit to _my _office – in handcuffs."

The woman sniffed, if not as assuredly as she had been doing so before. "Well I never! An officer threatening a citizen!" She stood carefully, pulling down her red tweed skirt. "I have to go – I have urgent business you see." She shot a glare at Alfred who refused to meet her stare. "I hope you understand what this does to your mother, you heartless boy."

"Just go, Sophie," Alfred mumbled to the table. He refused to look up, even as he could hear his heels clicking down the pavement. The air smelled almost like electricity itself, mixed with domination and pheromones; Alfred couldn't stand it. He got up and pressed a hand over his nose and mouth. "I'm going home."

"No." The word was short, clipped, and spoke higher volumes than if Arthur had screamed at him. Alfred stopped and Arthur gripped him by the elbow and began to lead him across the street, back towards the police station. "Stay with me. I don't want that _bitch_ to follow you home." He shot Alfred a scathing look. "I suggest you call Francis and let him know what's going on, and while you're at it, craft up an explanation for me."

Alfred allowed himself to be dragged to the police station, grumpily following Arthur through the maze of desks with blaring phones and paper littered work spaces. He sat in a chair in the corner of Arthur's office, pulling his legs to his chest and staring at his knees petulantly as Arthur began to busy himself now that his break was over. Alfred didn't know what to say, not when Arthur's shoulders were so taught and his posture tense. He wasn't a child, but he knew that Arthur was right – sort of. He really _didn't _need Sophie to follow him back to the flower shop or anywhere ever. It was bad enough she had found him in this city at all.

"Call Francis."

It wasn't quite an order, but Alfred didn't feel like pressing his luck and pulled his cellphone from his pocket, dialing the number for the flower shop. With the receiver held against his ear, he watched Arthur sit down at his desk, his fingers tracing along a sheet of paper as he read the yellowed pages. "Hello Francis? Hey, this is Alfred… Hm? Yeah, I wanted to ask if you can cover the shop until closing – i-it's kind of an emergency." He pursed his lips, trying to ignore the way Arthur had begun to stare at him. "No, no, no you don't have to get me, it's alright. I'm with Arthur… ye-yeah. I'll explain when I get home. Uhm, if you want to close up shop for your lunch, that's okay. You can raid my fridge, I don't mind… Alright. Okay. Thanks, seriously, okay I'll see you tonight. Bye."

With a long sigh, Alfred hung up, letting his phone hang limply from his fingers for a few moments of thoughtfulness. He peered up at Arthur, but the other man had returned to his work. "Her name is Soraphine del Monaco." He watched as Arthur stopped, not looking up from the papers on his desk. "She – well, she's not my mate. I've never done anything with her – ever. The thing is…" Alfred wrapped his arms around his knees and made a frustrated and trapped noise. "When I was in high school, and you've seen my record, my mom promised Sophie that she could have me, since obviously no one else would want me at all. Where I'm from, the del Monaco's are a huge, rich family and mostly consist of Alphas. They all make huge groups and it's pretty common for parents to pledge their Omega kids to the family.

"Obviously I didn't want that. I'd just be one Omega out of about eight or nine, so what's the point? I didn't want to be some breeding tool. Sophie… she's really a nice girl, when she's not… well, _domineering_, but I couldn't take it. I ran away. Just picked everything up one night, threw it in my truck and here I am. I didn't think she'd actually come looking for me."

He gave Arthur a meek grin when those green eyes finally looked at him. "I'm… really sorry for not telling you sooner. I honestly – I never thought that it would come up. Not like that. I'm sorry."

Arthur pushed away from his desk to sit in the empty chair next to Alfred, folding his hands together and letting them hang between his knees as he leaned forward in thought. "Alfred, do you trust me?"

"Wha-what? Of course I do!" He quickly dropped his feet to floor, and moved closer to Arthur, trying to look the man in the eye. "If I didn't, I wouldn't be here – I wouldn't have let you in my house, I would have never… never wanted to spend the rest of my life with you – in your group."

Alfred tried to kiss Arthur, but was pushed away gently. "Not now," Arthur murmured, "Not here." He stood, pulling on the cuffs of his sleeves briefly. "I'm going to make sure the station won't fall apart without me for an hour or two, and then I'm taking you to my house. You can't stay here all day, as much as I'd prefer that to keep an eye on you. Wait here please."

"Alright…" Alfred locked his fingers together nervously. He felt awful and incredibly small. It hurt to be denied like that, even if it was just a small kiss, and somehow Alfred wondered if he'd ruined the best thing he'd ever had in his entire life. He swallowed the lump in his throat and shook his head. I couldn't be possible.

When Arthur returned, a black jacket slung over his shoulder and keys jangling in the other hand, Alfred followed him solemnly outside. The walk to Arthur's small home was excruciating. Alfred wanted to reach and take Arthur's hand, kiss his knuckles gently and apologize over and over until those pale lips would tilt into a forgiving smile. He felt stupid and unwanted, and so he trailed miserably behind his mate (hoping that they would remain that way as well).

"You're being quiet," Arthur said softly as he opened the front door to his home. Alfred had been here a few times before, but it was never as convenient as his place above the flower shop. Arthur's house was clean and rustic and smelled like pressed tea leaves. "Are you shaken up?"

Alfred flopped onto Arthur's couch, pulling the decorative quilt that was draped over the back onto him. "I'm going to nap," he said stiffly.

"Alfred…" Arthur stooped over him, brushing the curve of his cheek with the back of his knuckles. "Alfred, love, what's wrong? I still have quite some time… do you want me to leave?"

"Do _you _want to leave?"

Arthur frowned. "Of course not. What are you thinking?" He crawled over Alfred, mindful of his mate's curled position before placing soft kisses to the exposed curves of Alfred's face. "Love, look at me," he murmured between kisses. "What makes you think I want to leave?"

There was a sad sniff, and Arthur smiled helplessly at Alfred; for someone so defiant and strong, Alfred was strangely sensitive to the smallest of details. "Don't you hate me or something now? I mean, now you know everything and you know how fucked up I am and I mean I really didn't _do_ anything with Sophie, I don't think I could even get it up for her, even in heat. But then you didn't want to ki–"

"Shh." Arthur touched a finger to Alfred's lips. "I don't care about that. I was… ah, I was scared you'd leave me for her – it was so sudden." He chuckled when Alfred shot him an incredulous look. "I never said it was rational, but it's true all the same. I would be a miserable man without you, love." His hands caressed Alfred's face, slowly beginning to card through his hair as they moved. "And about that kiss – in the office? Lovino was nearby. I thought you didn't want others to see us together?"

"Oh…" Carefully Alfred rolled onto his back, freeing his arms from the tangles of the quilt and then winding his arms around Arthur's neck. "I didn't think… I wanted…" He sighed. "May-maybe it wouldn't be so bad if we… you know… every once and a while? I mean, I don't care if anyone finds out – about me. Not really. I can fight my own battles, but… it's nice having you to help me." Arthur was speechless and Alfred smiled up at him. "Hey, how much longer do you have before you have to get back to the station?"

Arthur glanced at his watch. "About an hour."

"Plenty of time." His smile was relaxed, seeking assurances and love while his hands snaked down to grope at Arthur's ass. "I always do like to see you in uniform, but I can't say you're all that bad out of it, either."

"You, lovely, shameless devil," Arthur breathed out, laughing as he pressed himself close to Alfred. He was so glad to have found this man, as odd as he may be. Arthur was positive he would never find happiness again without his Omega to protect and love.

- End Chapter Seven -

* * *

_Unimportant Notes_: Well… hi. ouo

Uhm! This fic should be ending in about 2-3 chapters (or less, I think it depends on if I can figure out how I wanna close it up – proooooolly with a lot of sex okay). Uhhh you have USUK happy times to look forward for the next chapter and yeahhh

This fic is a brain baby between Jordan (sanguinehero) and me. Yeeeep… I will return to my hole now. :U


	9. It was Once

**This Pretense**

_Chapter Eight: It was Once_

Alfred hummed to himself as he moved about his shop; watering the few potted plants he had on the shelves with an ingrained habit, making sure only to dampen the soil. It was cozy inside, the fall weather beginning to swoop down upon them, bringing with it the height of his soccer season. He felt bad when he had a game during the day, leaving Francis to attend the store alone, but at the same time he was exhilarated that he could do something that, what seemed a lifetime ago, he never thought he could.

Biting his lip, he plucked a browning petal from a display bouquet. Fall and winter weren't his most productive seasons – not until Valentine's Day hit, and so it was his annual time of year to shorten store hours and try and seek other part time employment if things cut too close.

The shop door opened with the chime of a bell and Alfred perked up, wilting slightly when Francis walked through the door, picking a dead leaf from the fabric of his jacket. "Oh hey, back from lunch? That was quick."

"Disappointed, mon ami?" Francis smirked, but not unkindly, his blue eyes crinkled around the corners with amusement. He held up a paper bag. "I got my lunch to go, the café was full. Why, were expecting someone? Someone _special_? Someone by the name of Arth –"

"Dude, Francis! Stop it!" Alfred scrunched up his nose, pointing the watering can at his friend. "You're embarrassing. Maybe you should take that upstairs so costumers don't have to watch you eat."

Francis only chuckled. "You wound me, and so thoroughly, too! Ah, Alfred, but I was going to tell you that I saw your sweet love on my way here! And in the most _telling _of places at that! Why Alfred, he was walking into a –"

"No Francis don't tell me!" Alfred pleaded, his face turning red as he gripped the watering can in his hands. "I don't want to know what Arthur's doing, stop i—Arthur, hi come in!" The bell had chimed once again as Arthur made his way inside, a white box in his hands and a brow rose in curiosity. "Francis, upstairs – this is all your fault."

He huffed as Francis laughed softly, heading for the back door that led to the narrow staircase of Alfred's upstairs apartment. "I don't see how it's my fault," Francis chided as he went. "I was simply going to say I saw him at the donut shop – I wonder why you were so flustered, mon ami."

Alfred bit his lip, sending Arthur a quick glance, but by the time he thought of a proper retaliation, Francis had hurried up the stairs. "Now what was that frog lipped buffoon going on about?" Arthur asked with a small look of disdain towards the back of the shop.

"He was just teasing me, that's all." With a sigh Alfred approached Arthur and wrapped his arms around his mate's shoulders, mindful of his box of donuts, and then nuzzling their cheeks together. "I don't know why you're always uptight around him, you know? He's a good friend." Without Francis, Alfred would have never made it through his first winter in the flower shop. Without Francis he would have been completely alienated, would have never had the courage to join the soccer team, would have never met Arthur or bonded with someone he loved from the deepest parts of himself – he would have never been happy without Francis' help.

Arthur frowned and murmured, "I have my reasons."

The Omega slouched. "Oh, alright." He simply stood with his arms wrapped around Arthur, enjoying the way his lover felt in his arms. Being with Arthur, even just touching him and letting himself be however he felt in that moment, it was refreshing and calming. Thirty minutes of Arthur's presence left him feeling recharged and ready for the day more than three hours alone in his quiet living room would. "Mmm, I love you," he murmured.

"I love you, too," Arthur answered with a quirk of his mouth. "Now, if I recall correctly, this morning you were saying something about craving jelly donuts…"

Alfred laughed, kissing the strong curve of Arthur's jaw before drawing away. "Damn, what did I do to deserve someone like you?" He followed Arthur to the register counter, tucking his chin on his mate's shoulder as he watched him open the box of donuts. They laughed together softly, Arthur gingerly feeding Alfred pinched off pieces of the donuts. "I really wish you'd tell me why you don't like Francis," he said after licking sticky glaze from Arthur's fingertip.

Quickly Arthur retracted his hand, his fingers digging into a brown napkin instead. "I…" His green eyes traveled to the ceiling, where Francis was upstairs for the remainder of his lunch hour. "Alfred, would you come to my house tonight? At seven thirty? We can talk then."

"Oh… yeah, yeah I can do that." With a frown he reached for Arthur again, as if his Alpha would run away at any moment. "Are you okay? You're not mad at me or anything are you?"

"Of course I'm not." Arthur chuckled and pat Alfred's clasped hands over his hips, slowly breaking free. "You've no reason to be worried, love. None at all, I promise you. But, I have to get back to the station – you'll remember our date? Seven thirty."

"I'll be there, I promise." They parted with a sugary kiss and Alfred busied himself with finishing off the remainder of the donuts and sweeping spilled planting soil from the floor. Francis continued to tease him through the day, but was kind enough to usher the few customers they received into an easy conversation to give Alfred a break from his relentlessness.

Francis smiled peevishly as he flipped the Open sign to Closed at seven that night – only one more week until they began closing at five – and said, "Maybe, mon ami, he'll buy you a ring. A Promise Ring, if I know Arthur. He's… very fond of commitment. Or at least the assurance of it."

Alfred chuckled uneasily, a flutter of warmth beginning to pink his cheeks. "Don't be silly," he said with a bashful tilt of his chin. "Arthur wouldn't do something like that. He's… Well, he just wouldn't."

"Lie to yourself all you like, but if there's something your lovely friend knows about, it's _l'amour_."

"Yeah, yeah." Alfred snuffed his nose and then rubbed his face, hoping to get rid of the heat he felt. "I'll see you tomorrow morning. I'll get you some crepes before practice, okay?"

"You don't have to."

"But I want to. Thanks again for covering for me, Francis."

Francis' smile was soft as he wrapped a thin scarf around his neck. "Any time, Alfred."

* * *

At seven thirty-three, Alfred stood outside of Arthur's home, stuffing his hands in his jacket pockets as he waited for Arthur to open the door. He was nervous and curious and dreaded the worst (but there's no way Arthur would leave him, not after everything they've been through, right?).

The door opened swiftly and Arthur sent Alfred a confused stare. "Why don't you let yourself in?" he asked, stepping aside to allow Alfred in. "You've every right."

"Oh, yeah, I know – I just forget, you know? I don't swing by here all that often." Alfred smiled as he peeled off his jacket, hanging in on the coatrack next to Arthur's uniform coat. "You wanted to talk to me?"

"Yes. Come now, I've coffee made for you. You'll want to sit, I'm sure." Alfred's fingers hooked into his mate's belt loops, letting Arthur lead him further into the home. He did as he was told, plopping onto Arthur's couch and wrapping himself in the decorative quilt as he always did when he came to visit. Arthur wandered off into the kitchen for a minute, returning with two mugs, pressing one into Alfred's hands. "You wanted to know what Francis Bonnefoy is to me, correct?"

Alfred pressed himself close to his lover, nuzzling his face into his shoulder with a sigh. The room smelled odd, filled with an anxious, queasy feeling. "I do, but, Arthur? What's going on?"

"Nothing, nothing." Arthur sighed, bringing a hand up to stroke at Alfred's hair. "I don't think you'll enjoy what I have to say, is all." When he received no response, he cuddled closer to Alfred, laying his head atop of his lover's. "A few years ago, Francis was to me what you were months ago."

The Omega stilled, his breath hitching in his ribs. "He what?"

Arthur nodded. "I thought he would be my mate," he murmured, "Alphas and Betas together, it's not uncommon – more common than same sex pairs. Maybe we were truly an oddity after all. But," and he sighed again, "Francis didn't feel the same, didn't want to be tied down to a stodgy Alpha like myself. I was blind, but – I don't want to admit it… but I was in love – until I saw him with some woman." One of Alfred's arms snaked around his waist, pulling him closer yet; holding him with a strong, protective grip. "I don't hold grudges, but to be scorned in such a way… it's hard to forgive."

"How do you feel about me?" Alfred asked, setting his mug aside and prying Arthur's out of his hand to set it on the coffee table next to his own.

Tension grew thick between them as Alfred moved himself closer and closer to Arthur, nearly crawling on top of him with a furrowed brow and deep frown. "I love you," he answered, bringing his hands up to push lightly at Alfred's chest, hoping to deter the Omega's advances. "I love you and I want you to be mine and only mine – I'm disgustingly jealous."

"So am I." Alfred pushed Arthur over, squirming into his lap and nipping harshly at his mate's neck. "I'm… I'm so pissed off to know that Francis had you. So pissed, and happy that you're not together, I don't want to share you _ever_." He nibbled desperately at the soft spots on Arthur's neck and chest, his hands clawing at the Alpha's body possessively. There had to be some way he could show Arthur that he was serious – that Arthur was _his _and he was Arthur's. Alfred ground his hips into Arthur's, pulling away from Arthur's neck with a gasp and lips wet from saliva. With a husky breath, he leaned over Arthur, catching his gaze, his stomach too tumultuous with lust and jealousy to squeeze in fear and obedience. "I want to take you tonight," he said before he could even comprehend what he wanted.

Arthur paused and the tension was back twofold, and Alfred pressed himself against his mate harder, his mood thriving off fighting his submissive impulses. "You what…?"

"Yeah, Arthur let me, please. I want to so much." Alfred left open mouth kisses along Arthur's collarbone, carefully pushing his shirt out of way. "Please, let me before I lose my nerve."

"Okay. Okay, we can. Let's take this to the bedroom." Alfred was reluctant to move away from Arthur, but did so and allowed himself to be tugged through Arthur's home and pushed onto the extra downy comforters of his mate's bed. "Lube and condoms are under the bed," Arthur said softly, nibbling at Alfred's lower lip. "I'm going to use the bathroom – wait here."

Alfred fished out the lube and condoms, setting them on the pillow as he toed off his shoes and socks. His hands were shaking with excitement and nervousness, and he wanted Arthur to come back and reassure him because the more he thought about what they were going to do, the worse the idea seemed. "Equality, equality, equality," he hissed to himself as he yanked off his shirt and belt, his pants shimmying down his knees as he tried to recall everything he'd ever done to prove that he wasn't weak; that he wasn't some Alpha's plaything.

"You're still wearing too many clothes, love," Arthur said as he walked back into the room, naked and fiddling with his fingers as he approached the bed, smiling nervously when Alfred pulled off his boxer shorts. He climbed onto the bed next to Alfred, looking confused for a moment before he lay down on his back. "I'm at your disposal."

They both chuckled; the tension slowly easing as Alfred crawled between Arthur's opening legs, trailing soft kisses along the insides of Arthur's thighs, stopping to nibble and lick at a spot that made his mate shiver with delight. Small licks and kisses only got him so far, and Alfred reached for the lube, waiting for Arthur to try and catch his hand and stop him, but he never did. His breaths were shaky as he squeezed lube onto his fingers, rubbing it around and warming it up. "If you don't like it, please tell me," he mumbled, pressing a slicked finger against the puckered ring of Arthur's entrance, swirling it around gently.

Arthur's toes curled in anticipation and Alfred pulled the Englishman's legs over his shoulders, leaning forward to place a single kiss onto Arthur's chest and then slipped his finger inside.

"Relax, babe, relax," Alfred cooed as Arthur gasped, his hands reaching upwards to curl into his own hair. There was a faint blush on Arthur's cheeks, and Alfred hoped that it was a flush of lust and not embarrassment. "I love you," he began to chant over and over as he worked in another finger and another, using his free hand to stroke at the milky expanse of Arthur's stomach and fist his cock when it began to wilt at the dull pain of his intrusion.

"I think that's enough – ahh – doting, love," Arthur groaned, pulling a condom from the box and handing it over to Alfred after opening the packaging. "Go on ahead, before we both lose our nerves."

"Okay, okay…" Alfred carefully rolled the condom onto his straining cock, making sure to slather copious amounts of lube on as well before moving close to Arthur, his cock pressing between Arthur's asscheeks. He gripped Arthur's thighs. "Ready?"

The Alpha nodded quickly, worrying on his lower lip, waiting as Alfred pressed in, a hand guiding his cock inside Arthur's entrance smoothly. Alfred shuddered as he slid inside, Arthur's hands flying to his face to bite at the heels of his palms and calm himself with staccato breaths through his nose. He could feel Arthur's legs flex around his shoulders, until he was fully inside. Arthur panted. "I can't believe this is happening."

"Haa oh, oh shit me either." Alfred rubbed Arthur's legs, watching the faint flush of his mate's face and waiting for the signal to move. It came in the form of a quickly waved hand, and Alfred began to slowly rock into Arthur, gripping his hips and bending his legs as he dropped closer to his lover. He stared down at Arthur. It was strange to see him in this position, his face pink and mouth agape as his fingers twitched along Alfred's arms.

For a moment their eyes met, and the burning urges to pound Arthur into the bed that he had in the cradle of his stomach seemed to melt away. He continued to rock into his mate as Arthur's legs slid from his shoulders and his hands came up to claw at them instead.

Alfred squawked as he was suddenly flipped into the blankets, slipping out and disoriented. "Now, now, love," Arthur purred against his throat, kissing his adam's apple softly. "I think we might enjoy it this way more." Arthur reached behind himself, grasping Alfred's cock and carefully sunk down on it.

"Oh fuck yes." Alfred arched into Arthur, reaching up to Arthur down into a kiss. His stomach clenched with a familiar pleasure to have Arthur over him, around him, his smell invading his every sense – he didn't care anymore if he couldn't completely dominate Arthur. He didn't want to, and he'd had his run at it, and that was more than any Omega could likely attest to. It didn't seem possible, but Alfred was sure he loved Arthur all the more for allowing him to try.

Arthur began to move, splaying his hands across Alfred's sweaty chest as he pulled himself forward and sank back down, over and over, swallowing Alfred's gasps in bruising kisses.

When they had both finished, Arthur laid on top of Alfred, smearing his cum between their bodies. Alfred held him close, burying his nose into Arthur's hair to smell at sweat, sex, and pheromones. Arthur gave a contented grunt, stretching himself along Alfred's body. "Thank you," Alfred murmured, kissing Arthur's jaw. "Thank you for trusting me."

"It wasn't a bad experience," Arthur drawled, two of his fingers walking up Alfred's chest. "But… if we're ever to repeat it again… let's hold off on it – until we get wild, hm?" He propped himself up on his elbows suddenly, blowing a stray lock of hair from his eyes. "Actually, I have a question for you. You seem quite able to top like that – do you have experience in that area?"

Alfred floundered at the question. "I – W-well, you see, uh…" He cleared his throat. "When I was high school, you know, I experimented a lot with the other Omegas – the girls; before I knew what it was like to take it. I never said I was the most stable teenager."

"I never said you were." Arthur smiled lightly. "No need to fret, I was merely curious. If you'd believe it, you're only my third. Third time's a charm, as they say."

"Mmm, it sure is, and I'm never, ever letting you go." They shared a dewy kiss, smiling lethargically against each other's lip. "Not for the world."

- End Chapter Eight -

* * *

_Unimportant Notes: _Thanks guys for reading this! You're all too nice. ;u; Expect some plot conflicts coming up next chapter before it begins to close down. :)b


	10. Hearts Worn on Sleeves

**This Pretense**

_Chapter Nine: __Hearts Worn on Sleeves_

For the first time in a very, very long time, Alfred was able to say that he was perfectly content with his life. He had a good job, a loving mate, great friends (even if sometimes he caught himself wondering the _what ifs _about Francis and Arthur's past relationship), and the ability to do the things he loved.

"Too good to last", was a saying that Alfred was far too familiar with, however. It all started the practice before their next soccer match.

"God _dammit_!" A whistle blew off field, and Alfred stopped where he was running suicide ladders, panting heavily and wiping sweat from his brow. The coach of the team was a tall, broad man with a serious disposition and vocabulary that left him lacking whenever a situation became awkward. He ran onto the field, grabbing a younger Beta, Toris, who was an overnight E.M.T (how the man had any time for soccer three times a week was beyond Alfred, but he supposed it was good for stress issues), and together they ran to the goalie net. "God fucking dammit, I told you bastards there was a fucking gopher hole in the net zone but no! Don't listen to the goalie – _fuck_!"

Lovino hissed under his breath as he sat in the goal, his fingers pressing just above the bone of his ankle. "What happened?" Toris asked as he dove onto his knees next to Lovino, grasping the goalie's foot firmly to examine the injury closely. Lovino grit his teeth and looked away from the Beta as he worked. He wasn't the best goalie, but he was quick, agile, and flexible – not to mention his word choice put many opposing players in the right state of fury to forget entirely about making goal shots.

"There's a fucking gopher hole in here, and hey I tried to tell this potato sucker that, but no! No one should ever listen to me because I don't know what the fuck I'm talking about – ah shit don't bend it that way!"

Toris sat back with a sigh. "I'm pretty sure he's sprained it, Ludwig," he said, frowning. "The game is tomorrow – where's our backup goalie?"

"Fuck the game, this shit better not get me put on light duty at work." Toris only smiled sympathetically at Lovino, standing up to offer a hand to the sour faced man.

The coach pursed his lips and then said stiffly, "The backup is ill. Last I heard she was being taken care of by her sons." He watched Toris help Lovino off the field and back into the rec center for proper treatment, the rest of the team milling about in confusion. Alfred stood next to Arthur, worrying on his lower lip as Arthur ran a hand through his sweat damp hair. "Everyone, back to practice – but don't wear yourselves out! Remember: there is a team dinner at the Vargas' tonight at eight."

Alfred frowned as he watched their coach trot off the field, his face a stone wall of determination. "So," he started, turning to Arthur with an arched brow, "Do you want to run laps or practice kicks?"

"Honestly? Neither. I could think of at least eight ways to better spend my energy today," Arthur griped as he bent to stretch his calves. "At least seven involve you in my bed, however."

"Mmm, that sounds like the perfect way to wind down before a game – I might just take you up on that." They took their own little corner of the field, helping each other stretch as they mumbled lewd things into each other's ears, casting wide glances at their teammates about them.

Alfred's mind was set on that night, as he tried to take pointers from Arthur on how to efficiently dribble the ball, instead of the fact that Ludwig had returned from the rec center and that he had returned with someone new. One of the team had shouted "temp goalie", and that was the end of the matter. The team was tired, the day was cold, and most were eager for the game tomorrow – the third to last in their season. As much as he loved the sport, there were times when Alfred just couldn't wait for the season to be over with so he could spend his evenings lounging on his couch instead.

It wasn't until their formal practice was over that Alfred realized just how much he should have paid attention. A young Alpha female by the name of Emma ran up to them after practice, smiling brightly. "Guys, guys! Hey, have you met the temp goalie yet? He's from a few cities away, so he's new around here." She smiled harder, pulling at their sweaty jerseys. "You should go and introduce yourselves!"

"I – ahh…" Arthur coughed, nudging Emma away gently. "Yes, yes, we'll do that." He looked to Alfred. "Well, come along now." Alfred shrugged, catching up to Arthur as he made a beeline for the goalie net where Ludwig was talking to a tremendously tall and thick man, making sure to stay directly next to Arthur as they went – a sign of equality (and because Alfred would never want to push ahead of Arthur with so many other Alphas around. He wanted to give an impression that he was dominate, but not _the _dominate).

And then, when Ludwig had left and they were only a few feet away; it hit Alfred that he _knew_ who the hulking, gently smiling man under the goalie net was. And by then it was far too late for him to make a timely escape. "Oh, shit."

The man perked up once he caught them approaching, his small smile becoming wider and more sincere until he seemed to recognize who it was shuffling closer and closer to the blond police chief. "Alfred?" he questioned, his expression quickly changing from pleasant to confusion and then ultimately hurt. "Alfred Jones?"

Alfred paused, falling slightly behind Arthur despite his mate's questioning look. "Oh, ha ha, what a coincidence, meeting you here, Ivan. I never thought I'd run into you here – or ever again, really."

"Neither did I. Many thought you were dead! How is it so that you're here, and in a soccer uniform? "

Alfred grasped the back of Arthur's shirt in hopes to gain some kind of stability or control over the situation. It was a useless gesture, but it helped ease the clump of fear that sat like a cold stone in the cradle of his stomach. "I play on this team, Ivan."

That statement made Ivan stop short. "They let you _play_?" he asked incredulously, bending down slightly to level his eyes with Alfred's. "Or perhaps they don't know? I see. That's a heavy burden my friend, and of course you have my trust but…" Ivan smelled the air with a long sniff, moving closer and closer to where Alfred and Arthur stood, making Arthur's chest puff and shoulders straighten defensively. "One of them knows, and it would seem they have taken full advantage of this fact. So, you've settled down? Or is there still time to change your mind?"

"I'll have you know," Arthur cut in suddenly, his posture stiff as his upper lip curled aggressively, "That Alfred and I have a very _permanent_ relationship. So no, there is no mind changing. I don't know who you are, but you're walking a very thin line between walking off this field or being carried out on a stretcher."

Ivan gave a slanted smile, straightening up with a laugh. "I see. Alfred's settled down – who knew? And with such a hot-headed mate, I'm not very surprised. You need someone who can handle you. I also cannot be surprised you do not tell him of me. I don't tell my lovers of you either, so it is all fair." He ran a hand through his bleach blond hair, sighing to himself for a moment. "It is nice to see you, however, and I would ask if you and your mate would like to go to dinner –"

"No."

"But I thought he might say something like that. Although I do wonder, are there no phones in this city? There is so much happy news for Alfred, and yet my phone has remained silent this whole time. But then again, I suppose what the term 'Best Friend' means to one person does not apply to the next."

Alfred made a choked noise, pulling Arthur closer to him. "No! Don't… don't say shit like that, Ivan. Goddammit you don't know the shit I went through to get here. You don't know! So just shut your big mouth and pretend you don't know me – at least until soccer season is over. Okay? Do me this one favor and then I'll call you every goddamn night if you want me to."

Ivan's shoulders drooped slightly. "Why can I not know you? I promise you I will not tell even the tiniest of souls of your genes. I'll even be very nice to your mate." And for such a large, intimidating man, Arthur had to admit that Ivan could pull off one of the most effective pleading faces he'd ever had the displeasure of seeing.

"I… Oh – ah, uhm… I really hate it when you do that, you know." Carefully he extracted himself from Arthur, stepping up to Ivan and punching him on the shoulder with a familiarity that made Arthur uneasy. "Alright, fine. We'll have it your way and really though, what are you doing all the way out here, huh?" Arthur cleared his throat impatiently, digging his cleats into the cut grass of the field. He didn't want to be the accessory while his mate and some foreign man became acquainted - it didn't sit with him and he was doing his best to control his temper for Alfred's sake. "Oh, actually Arthur and I are gunna wind down before the team dinner. I'll give you my number and you should call me, okay? I'll give you the directions to the Vargas' place."

As they began to walk off the field, Arthur slid his hand into Alfred's, their palms pressing together and fingers entwining. Alfred glanced at Arthur and he looked away with a huff. Alfred didn't pull his hand away.

* * *

"I thought we'd been over all the surprises," Arthur said lowly as he pushed Alfred onto the downy sheets of his bed, licking and biting gently at one of Alfred's pink nipples. "And now this _Ivan _shows up, and he's so _familiar_ with you, I want to rip his face off."

Alfred gave a breathy laugh. "Sorry. He's one of those guys that you never know if you can hate or love them. From my hometown – ahhh, mmm can you do that again? Mmm, yeah, we were best friends all through middle and high school. Auhh, I just – woah, the only part I know you don't wanna hear is that Ivan was hah, my first man."

The Alpha stopped in his ministrations, pulling his hand from Alfred's boxer shorts. "I see… part of that experimentation you were speaking of before? How are you still friends with him if it so obviously didn't work out between you two?"

"Aw, come on Arthur," Alfred whined and pushed himself into his lover's lap to kiss at his exposed stomach as he spoke hurriedly. "We were fifteen – yeah seriously, fifteen don't give me that look. We were just two curious kids and I was going through my first heats and it was an awkward as fuck time not to mention awkward as fuck sex." He impishly nipped the skin just below Arthur's navel. "Ivan's not a bad guy. I didn't call him once I left because I didn't keep in contact with _anyone _and I knew my mom would go after Ivan first for answers. So yeah. Now, are you gunna fuck me or what? 'Coz it's really cruel to just start me up like that and leave me hanging."

Arthur gave a sharp smile, rolling on top of Alfred to bite at his neck, running his tongue over the vulnerable vein. "Tell me that you'll choose me over that Ivan bloke every time."

"You know I will, Arthur."

"I want to hear it. Just tell it to me, please. Let me hear you say it." Arthur moved down to trail soft kisses across Alfred's collarbones, lifting his head to place a single kiss to the tip of his mate's nose.

Alfred chuckled. "Okay, well, if for some weird reason I ever, _ever _have to choose between you and Ivan, I will always pick you. If I had to choose between you and any other living person on the planet, I would pick you every single time. And… a-and," he coughed awkwardly, "if-if you ever happen to buy me the promise ring Francis insists you'll get, I'll… I'll wear it every day of my life."

Their breath escaped them as they stared at each other, trying to search the depths of their expressions for some hint of a lie or fear – anything but the loving care that shone through. Arthur made an airy noise of joy and buried his nose into Alfred's mussed hair. "I love you. I love you so damn much Alfred Jones."

Alfred pulled Arthur close, running his fingers up and down his mate's spine. "I love you too, Arthur. I really do."

- End Chapter Nine -

* * *

_Unimportant Notes: _Hi. :Ua The next chapter will be the last (and it'll be where everything ever gets solved/settled okie). Thanks guys for sticking with this fic! :)


	11. Victory

**This Pretense**

_Chapter Ten: Victory_

In Alfred's mind, the impossible had happened; he was happy, and when he wasn't happy, he was content. His life seemed to slowly fall into a perfect place with the greatest people. Arthur and Ivan got along well – at least when he was around (and really, that was all he could ask of two Alphas).

October was coming to a close and so was soccer season. It was the eve of their final game and Alfred found himself anxious. After this it was back to working out in the rec center gym; no more teamwork, tense moments on the field, or the near suicidal urge to prove himself to a group of men and women who could easily ruin his newfound happiness. He was excited and sad that it was ending, but overall he was relieved that it all had turned out so well, how one rushed decision could change his entire life.

"You seem to have a lot on your mind tonight, love," Arthur said, carding his fingers slowly through Alfred's hair. They were snuggled together on Alfred's couch, watching a sci-fi movie on pay-per view after eating at the Vargas' for a carb rich meal of pastas and tomato sauce. "Want to talk about it?"

Alfred's head was pillowed in Arthur's lap as he stretched across the couch cushions. "Mmm, just thinking about how much I love you." Arthur snorted and pinched Alfred's nose affectionately. "What? It's true you know. But other than that, I guess I'm just thinking about how awesome this last game is gunna be and how we're gunna kick some ass and then, well… I'm wondering what I'm gunna do once soccer is over." He gave Arthur a toothy smile. "I mean, when am I ever gunna see you in those shorts again? _God _I love your practice shorts."

"Oh do shut up, will you?" Arthur laughed softly, running his hand through Alfred's hair before leaning down to steal a quick kiss. "If I must, I'll wear them for you whenever you wish. I'd do anything for you, even if it means wearing those silly shorts for you." He bent for another kiss, this time taking his time to linger. "Mmm, but I should head home, love. I need to get my things ready for the game."

The Omega whined as Arthur tried to stand to leave. "No! Don't leave already!" He wrapped his arms tightly around Arthur's waist, burying his nose into the fabric of his mate's shirt. "I hate sleeping without you. I can never get warm enough – it's going to be winter soon! You can't blame me!"

Arthur sighed. "Alfred… I can't simply… well, you know how it is, and…"

"Yes you can! You can just grab some clothes – there's more than enough room in my closet – and nab your toothbrush and you'll be set!" They both stood up at this, albeit reluctantly. This was an argument they'd been having a lot recently, and the colder the weather became, the more Alfred begged. When Arthur didn't change his mind, Alfred pulled himself away. "Fine. Go home to your damn house. I'll just grab the spare blankets from my linen closet."

"Alfred, please don't do this. You know I would if I could."

Alfred huffed, crossing his arms over his chest to give Arthur a narrow look. "You're just saying that because you don't want to wake up an extra twenty minutes for a commute." He didn't wait for Arthur to reply, quickly latching onto his mate's arm with a tight grip. "Hey, fine, if it's gunna be like this then make a bet with me, okay? And no matter what you can't go back on it."

"Will it help you sleep at night if I do?" Arthur asked wearily, carefully prying Alfred's fingers from his arm to hold his hands instead.

"Yes."

The Alpha sighed, squeezing Alfred's hands in reassurance. "Alright. What's your wager, then?"

"Tomorrow, the soccer game – if we lose then you get to do what you want, live where you want, spend time wherever you want, but if we win, and you can be sure I'm going to be busting my ass so we do, you have to move in with me."

"Wha-what? That's absolutely ridiculous! Alfred!"

Alfred laughed, pulling away his hands to wag a finger at Arthur in a patronizing manner. "Ah-ah-ah! You said you wouldn't go back on it! So should I tell Coach that you're going to try and botch the game or what?" Alfred waited for Arthur's tale-tell sign of resignation – that slight drop in his shoulders and the long, breathy sigh that would come from his parted lips before finally looking Alfred in the eye and agreeing. He threw himself back into Arthur's arms, locking his hands behind his mate's neck as he kissed the man deeply. "Love you," he murmured between kisses, nipping on Arthur's bottom lip. "Mmm, I love you but you should go home now. I need to grab those extra blankets."

"Oh no, you can't do that now," Arthur said, chuckling as he pressed his nose into the crook of Alfred's neck to breathe in his scent. "Hnn, not when you start me up like that, you wicked thing." Alfred laughed cheerfully, squirming out of Arthur's arms to run to his bedroom with Arthur on his heels. Arthur supposed it was time he got used to waking up an extra twenty minutes early – Alfred corrupted him well enough without relying on silly bets and bribes.

And when he lay next to Alfred that night, holding his Omega close to his chest, shielding him from the nightly frost that drifted in through the cracks of windows, he knew that the transition wouldn't be a bad one at all.

* * *

All recreation games were held at community fields, the grass painted the evening before and tickets sold to excited Omegas and sport enthused Betas. Alfred breathed in the chilly air, stretching and bouncing in excitement. "Alright guys, this is it! Let's kick some ass!"

"Don't hurt yourself out there," Arthur said, setting a hand on Alfred's shoulder and letting his fingers linger against the Omega's neck before quickly pulling him into a one armed hug and patting him on the chest, prompting others, including Ivan, to join in their pre-game hype. "And hey, Peeters, don't forget to pass the ball once and a while!"

Emma laughed brightly just as they were all ushered out onto the field. There was an intoxicating adrenaline rushing through Alfred's veins as he stepped onto the grass, his cleats digging into the soil. He felt good – _great _even – and as he bounced in his spot on the field, he caught Arthur's eye and grinned widely. This was it, he was going to win this game and Arthur would move in with him and they would live happily ever after.

The game was a brutal one and the other team was just as competitive as theirs, if not more so. Alfred lost a couple shoving matches, was tripped once when he wasn't even dribbling the ball, and was benched for a foul after reflexively punching an opposing team member for snapping his teeth too close to his face. The crowd had cheered for him, so he didn't feel half as miserable as he should have as he sat on the bench.

"Did you really have to punch him?" Arthur asked him as both teams gathered around their coaches for the halftime break, the fans whooping cheerfully as the players took the time to swallow mouthfuls of water and listen to their coach's advice. These games weren't as popular as the professional ones, but it was an outlet for the communities and cherished by many.

Alfred shrugged and handed Arthur a towel. "He snapped at me – I meant to shove him, I swear." He laughed anyway when Arthur gave him an impassive stare. "We're kicking some serious ass though! Ivan, dude, I saw the way you scared the shit out of that Beta girl – a great goalie keeps them from even making the shot! Ha ha!"

"I wasn't trying to…" Ivan mumbled, shaking his head before crushing his empty cup. "Oh, Alfred, Arthur, I was going to be wondering if… if… Oh, no…" With that simple phrase, the whole team seemed to become engulfed in confusion and shouts of, "What's going on?" and "Get her out of here, she's not supposed to be here!"

Ivan pulled Alfred out of the fray, casually moving to body block him from the confusion. "Alfred, I thought you said you told Miss Monaco that you would not join her pack?"

"I did… a lot. Hell that's why I moved out here and – wait, why?" Alfred squirmed around Ivan to watch the chaos in front of him, only to find the team tense and watchful as Sophie pushed at Arthur's chest. "No…"

"You have no right!" Sophie was yelling as Arthur blocked her from Alfred, snarling and baring his teeth at the vehement woman. Arthur wasn't a terribly tall person, but he had the ability to make a person feel small with only his posture and a look with his acidic green stare, and Alfred could tell that Sophie was beginning to crumble under the pressure as she shoved at Arthur, glaring at his neck instead of making eye contact as her voice grew more and more pitched. "You shouldn't meddle in other people's affairs! I don't care who you think you are you can't steal Omegas from their Alphas so give me Alfred _back_!"

He felt Ivan grasp his arm as several pairs of eyes turned to him. "Wait, wait, wait! So let me get this shit straight," Lovino said, pushing passed their stunned teammates. He was still on crutches from his accident and was very bitter about the fact. "You," he said, pointing the knobbed end of one of crutches at Alfred, "Are an _Omega_? You mean this whole time? You're not a Beta?"

"Of course he isn't!" Sophie shouted, her voice broke and she took a step away from Arthur, who only rounded up on her again. "You – you all are so _stupid_! You can't tell me you didn't know when he went into heat! Or – or that he was unmated and – ugh! How? You've let an Omega play on your team this whole time! And he's m-"

Arthur's back went rigid. "Don't you _dare _call him yours, or so help me you'll wake up in a hospital," he snapped, pushing his face into Sophie's until she cringed involuntarily.

Alfred was shaking, the pure anger and tense fear around him made him want to crawl on the ground and roll over in defeat. He wanted to sit at Arthur's feet with his head ducked until the trouble was over, but he knew that that wasn't a viable option. The air was perfectly still and Ivan's grip dropped on his arm just as Sophie opened her mouth and said, "Alfred is mine."

In a split second Arthur leaped for Sophie, his long legs lashing out suddenly when Ivan grabbed him in the middle of his leap to tackle him to the ground. "Let me go, you fat arsed lummox," Arthur yelled, squirming and kicking against Ivan's weight. "I'm going to knock her teeth bloody!"

"Ah, I'm not thinking that's such a great idea my friend," Ivan said, coughing when Arthur kneed him in the side.

Sophie stood stock still, her hands covering her mouth as her shoulders began to shake with the shuddering of her breaths. "What the hell," Alfred mumbled to himself, breathing in deeply through his nose to try and gather what little wit and nerve he had left. Today was supposed to be one of the best days of his life, a milestone, a shining moment to look back on for the rest of his life; not whatever this mess was. "Don't you guys have a game to get back to?" he snapped at his team members as he walked passed Ivan and Arthur.

Coach Ludwig blew his whistle, startling everyone out of their dazed states of mind. "Alfred you have five minutes to talk to me privately; Arthur you're on the bench, everyone else get back out on the field – you too Ivan, go!" Slowly Ivan got off of Arthur, pulling the Alpha to his feet and pushing him to the benches, making sure to give Alfred space as he carefully approached Sophie.

"Hey… Sophie, don't cry. Sophie… Soraphine, come on." Alfred swallowed and then pulled the sobbing Alpha into his arms, tucking her head below his chin. She had finally broken down, and even though this was a moment he had prayed to see hundreds of times when he was younger, seeing it now was nothing short of saddening. "Please don't cry…"

"Wha-what am I sa-supposed to do now?" she sobbed, wiping at her eyes and sniffling pathetically. Alfred could feel Arthur staring at them, but for the moment he ignored it in favor of comforting the girl who used to be the only one who he could talk to about his problems, the only shelter he had from the unfairness of his life. "My-my mom is going to hate me – I… I can't just-just go back without you!"

Alfred sighed and pried Sophie away from his chest, rubbing her arms with a pitying look. "I don't see why not. You're an Alpha, right? Why don't you do what Alpha's do best? Be a stubborn bastard and tell her you said no."

Sophie chuckled hopelessly, the sound interrupted by a small hiccup. "That sounds more like you," she said softly. "I might be an Alpha, but I don't think I do a very good job at it. Sometimes I think you make a better Alpha than I do, and you're not even… like mom is."

"Well, everyone is different. You should find someone who gets that. I did, and Sophie, I wouldn't leave him for the entire world." He smiled, pushing a lock of stray hair back behind her ear. "But you should go now, alright? Now that they all know I'm an Omega, I'm sure I'm walking into a shit-storm. Ah! Don't apologize, they were going to find out eventually, and I'm sure a few of them had hunches."

"I see." Sophie wiped her face one last time, straightened her dress and gave Alfred a pursed smile. "I'm sorry – for everything. Tell your mate I said that too, okay?" She touched his cheek, patted it softly and then left the field with her head held high.

He sighed in relief, trudging back to the bench and sinking into the spot next to Arthur. His hand sought his mate's and Alfred smiled as their fingers tangled together, squeezing together for reassurance and comfort. "Hey Coach? You wanted to talk to me?"

Ludwig stared at them for a long moment, simply glancing between the two of them as he chewed on his bottom lip. "Warm up, both of you. You're going back in the game in five minutes."

Alfred paused, turning to look at Arthur before giving Ludwig a hopeful expression. "Really? I – I mean, you don't care about… about you know?"

"Jones if I cared about your genes beyond athleticism, you wouldn't be sitting there right now. You're a good player, even though two months ago you didn't even know what a soccer ball was."

"Yes sir!" Alfred said, jumping up from his seat. "I'll make sure that we beat these guys!"

Arthur chuckled, leading Alfred off to the side where they could stretch. "He has ulterior motives," he explained needlessly, leaving Ludwig to roll his eyes and return his focus to the game in progress.

* * *

"Ahh, hah, mmm I'm sure the _whole _team knows, ha, what we're doing right now."

Arthur bit at Alfred's neck, kissing the pinking mark before moving to a new spot. "Mmn, who cares? They can stew in jealousy because I have the best Omega in the world. So sexy and strong, hnn, and a great fuck."

Long fingers began to run up into his tee shirt, stroking at his skin and teasing every sensitive spot. "I'm… so glad that, uhn, I have so many good qualities." Alfred unbuckled his belt and groaned into Arthur's mouth as his Alpha pressed against him for a deep kiss. "Mmm, Arthur we're not… not even gunna make it up the stairs if you keep this up."

"You're helping." With every stair that they managed to climb, another article of clothing was shed until Alfred was in only his boxers, sitting on the second to top stair with Arthur between his legs. "Get rid of these things," Arthur mumbled, kissing the fabric just over Alfred's growing erection.

Alfred whined as Arthur pulled his boxers off slowly. He leaned back, the edge of the stairs digging into his bare back as Arthur's hot breath washed over his cock. "But the lube, auhh, it's in my room." Arthur didn't give him a chance to protest further and pressed two of his fingers into Alfred's mouth.

Arthur's hot tongue slid along the shaft of Alfred's cock, teasing the head before taking it into his mouth. Alfred's knees hit the walls in an attempt to spread his legs in the narrow staircase. He gasped around the fingers in his mouth before lavishing them as well as he could with his tongue.

"I want you to moan for me," Arthur mumbled as he took back his fingers and let them ease their way into the crack of Alfred's ass. "Lift your hips for me a tad… Now there's a lad." Alfred choked, shuddering and mewling as Arthur paid attention to his tight balls, licking their underside and nuzzling the base of Alfred's cock with his nose. Arthur eased his two saliva slick fingers into Alfred's entrance, taking his mate's cock back into his mouth and sucking. He wanted to hear Alfred squeal with delight, to moan and sob and choke on his name as he climaxed just for him.

"Arthur," Alfred whined, the heels of his palms biting into the wooden stairs and his head fell back with a thud. "Oh, god Arthur, I just want you to fuck me, please, please, please."

There was no verbal response to his pleas, but Arthur doubled his efforts, enjoying the way that Alfred squirmed under his touch and dug his hands desperately into his hair. His fingers worked Alfred open, teasing at his prostate until Alfred was sweating and mumbling nonsense. Arthur wrapped his free hand around the base of Alfred's cock and took in as much as he could, pumping what he couldn't until Alfred sobbed out some broken version of Arthur's name before coming inside of his mouth.

Alfred gasped and practically melted into the stairs in post-orgasm. "Hah, ah shit… I'm not… in heat right now. Ah shit multiple rounds sound so hard right now."

"Let me help you, love." With a small smile Arthur scooped Alfred up into his arms, making sure to keep his balance as Alfred leaned heavily into him. He carried his sated Omega to the bed, laying him on the blankets before pressing himself against Alfred and grinding their groins together. "Are you sure you don't want me to fuck you now?" he breathed against Alfred's sweaty skin, kissing his chest and lapping at his nipples.

"Yes, but ah, let me hold you. I want to hold you and we won the game and you're moving in with me and I just want to hold you, please."

Arthur's laugh was airy and touched. He buried his nose into Alfred's hair, inhaling his sweaty scent and cherishing it before kissing his love's face. "Only if I get to hold you in return," he said as he reached for the drawer that held Alfred's collection of lubricants, popping off the cap of the first one he felt to begin smearing lube on his cock.

The Omega wrapped his arms around Arthur's shoulders, one of his hands burying itself into the back of Arthur's hair as he began to push inside. "Ah – ah ohh! No condom?"

"Sorry, sorry," Arthur mumbled as he sunk in completely, taking a moment to wrap his own arms around Alfred's chest. "I'll pull out before I come, I promise."

They fell into a passion, a final release of all the tensions and worries and fears that had built up since the fateful day in the locker room. There could be no more secrets, no more hidden pasts or lovers, and as Arthur held Alfred, with Alfred's legs wrapped around his waist, he decided it wouldn't have it any other way. "I love you," he grunted out, listening for Alfred's whined answer before he pulled out with a jerk to come on the contracting muscles of Alfred's stomach.

"You don't have to finish me," Alfred mumbled. He was only half hard and it faded rapidly with his drowsiness. Arthur chuckled and wiped the semen from his lover with a sheet, tossing it off the side of the bed. "I'm sleepy."

"You had a busy day," Arthur agreed. He sat on the edge of the bed for a few moments, drumming his fingers against his thigh. "Come, let's get a shower and into something more comfortable."

Alfred groaned, pulling the blankets up to his chin petulantly. "But I _am _comfortable."

"Ah, but I insist!" Arthur stood up and snatched the blankets away, leaning over the bed to pinch Alfred's ear. "Come now love, if I'm to live with you, you might as well get used to my eccentricities. So, shower, hop to it."

The younger finally succumbed to Arthur's whims, reluctantly letting Arthur scrub him clean and dress him in his favorite baggy sweatpants and a tee shirt. "The bed is back upstairs," Alfred whined as Arthur led them down into the flower shop, flicking on the lights. He only wore his boxer briefs and a borrowed tee from Alfred, his pants from earlier in the day in his hand with coins jingling in the pocket.

"Just one request," Arthur said, going through the shelves and chilled fridges until he found a bouquet that he liked. "How much does this one cost?"

"Arthur the shop is closed." Even so, Alfred walked behind the register counter. "Uhm, the roses are starting to wilt so I guess it'll just be twelve, sound cool?"

Arthur pulled his wallet from the pocket of his trousers, pulling out at ten dollar bill before fishing for coins, placing them on the counter in a heap for Alfred to sort through. The Omega rolled his eyes but began pulling the proper coins from the pile, counting them out one by one and then suddenly pausing. "Arthur… what is this?"

Alfred bit his lower lip before holding up a simple golden ring. Arthur gave a nervous smile. "It's a ring," he said, clearing his throat as he leaned onto the counter. "For you, of course. The ring is for you." He coughed again and stamped his feet. "I – I'm not asking you to marry me, ah, it's a promise ring. It just… it means that well, you'll be mine as long as you wear it. That's all – not permanent…"

When Alfred didn't say anything, Arthur reached across the counter to try and snatch it away, but Alfred pulled his hand back. "I didn't think you would." A slow smile spread across Alfred's face as he let the ring slip down his finger. "Then I guess I'll just have to wear it forever."

He pulled Arthur into a honeyed kiss, the corners of his mouth upturning in happiness; because running away from home was easy. All you had to do was save up, and then just leave. Don't look back, don't second guess yourself, just completely immerse yourself into the culture and people of where you want to go. Don't regret.

But running away from _yourself,_ that was something entirely different; something that Alfred had struggled to do every day. And now that he had found himself, and his love, and a life to love, he knew it was time to cast away his pretense and never run again.

- End -

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_Unimportant Notes_: I hope you guys enjoyed this story! I'm really glad I saw it through to the end (and it even ended up being longer than I had thought). Thank you all very much! :D


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